The Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) announced on May 15 that it has received questions from members about physician licensure renewal and is providing clarification to assist its membership.
This update is important for Illinois physicians as the current license renewal cycle has started, and some have expressed confusion over continuing medical education (CME) requirements and official communications. ISMS said that some members believed emails promoting CME products were sent by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), but this was not the case.
“Packaged CME solicitations do not come from IDFPR,” ISMS said. The organization also clarified that physicians are not required to use specific CME products or providers; they may choose any accredited entity, including ISMS itself. Additionally, “Physicians are not required to take any kind of quiz or test as a condition of renewing their Illinois medical and controlled substance licenses. A ‘licensure test’ as part of your renewal does not exist.” According to ISMS, some CME companies require clients to complete a lengthy quiz related to their offerings, but this is not mandated by the state.
An official email from IDFPR also stated that physicians who hold a license through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLCC) must renew through IMLCC by July 31, 2026. Some members have reported uncertainty about whether they obtained their license via IMLCC; ISMS advises those individuals to contact IDFPR at an email address set up specifically for such inquiries.
ISMS encouraged its members with further questions about licensure renewal or CME requirements to reach out directly to its Health Policy Research and Advocacy team by email.
