For the full details, see the CME Handbook.
Categories of CME.
There are two (2) types of eligible CME. CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME and CAA Category II General Medicine & Professional Development CME. All CME, regardless of type, must be accredited by an NCCAA-approved accrediting organization. Below is a further description of the CME Categories:
CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME
CME activity accredited by ACCME or AAPA. These must be anesthesia CME or one of the American Board of Anesthesiology subspecialties listed below:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Neurocritical Care
- Pain Medicine
- Pediatric Anesthesia
CAA Category II – General Medicine
CME activity that is not CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME, but is however still accredited by ACCME or AAPA.
CAA Category II – Professional Development
Professional Development activities that enhance the CAA’s foundational knowledge of CAA practice and foster the active participation in lifelong learning with the underpinning of improving oneself professionally and the CAA profession. All CME activities regardless of NCCAA CME category must be accompanied by a certificate as outlined below in CME Registration Information – Documentation Requirements. Examples of CME activities that may qualify as CAA Category II CME are:
- Presentations at educational meetings (not faculty teaching at an educational institution)
- Clinical preceptorship (maximum of 10 hours per CME cycle)
- Publication
- Academic credit from an institution of higher learning
- Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives/projects
- Mission activity
- Original research
- Non-faculty program instructor (e.g., guest lecturer)
- Clinical administrative involvement (e.g., committee work)
Important: All CME including the CAA Category II – Professional Development CME must be accredited by a NCCAA recognized CME accreditor as listed below. Further, all CME, including the CAA Category II – Professional Development CME, must be registered with the appropriate documentation as noted below in the section –
CME Registration Information – Documentation Requirements.
CME Accreditation.
The NCCAA will accept CME for registration from CME programs accredited by the:
- American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
- Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
(Which includes organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and other CME providers)
CME Requirements.
To maintain NCCAA certification, CAAs must participate in Continuing Medical Education (CME). The NCCAA requires 50 hours of documented participation to be registered with the NCCAA biennially. CAAs are either on an odd year or even year cycle depending on their year of initial certification (e.g., initially certified in 2022, then 50 hours of CME due for registration by June 1, 2024).
Number of CME per Category
50 Hours total of CME is due every two years to maintain certification. Of the 50 hours, 40 hours must be CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME. The remaining 10 hours may be CAA Category II General Medicine or CAA Category II Professional Development or any combination of CAA Category II CME.
Note: CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME may be substituted for any or all CAA Category II CME. However, CAA Category II CME may not be substituted for CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME. Below are examples only of possible CME scenarios:
Example 1:
CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME: 40 hours
CAA Category II – General Medicine: 10 hours
CAA Category II – Professional Development: 0 hours
Example 2:
CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME: 40 hours
CAA Category II – General Medicine: 5 hours
CAA Category II – Professional Development: 5 hours
Example 3:
CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME: 45 hours
CAA Category II – General Medicine: 0 hours
CAA Category II – Professional Development: 5 hours
Example 4:
CAA Category I – Anesthesia CME: 50 hours
CAA Category II – General Medicine: 0 hours
CAA Category II – Professional Development: 0 hours