Resources for Accreditation
General
TMA Accreditation Manual
Accreditation is official recognition by a state medical association or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education that an organization’s overall program of physician CME meets established criteria for educational planning and quality.
AMA Physician Recognition Award Booklet
AMA Frequently Asked Questions - For CME Providers
Core Accreditation Criteria
Initial applicants seeking to achieve Provisional Accreditation, a two-year term, and providers seeking Accreditation, a four-year term must comply with all the Core Accreditation Criteria.
Accredited providers also have the option to seek Accreditation with Commendation, a six-year term, the highest accreditation status; and available only to providers seeking reaccreditation, not to initial applicants. See Resources and Documents for Initial Accreditation, and Reaccreditation, and Commendation.
Implementing the Core Accreditation Criteria
Includes resources for implementing TMA Core Accreditation Criteria – Mission, Program Analysis Program Improvements, Educational Needs, Designed to Change, Appropriate Formats, Competencies, and Analyzes Changes.
Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education
General and Implementation Timeline
The Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education were released in December 2020, replacing the Standards for Commercial Support. All providers are expected to comply with the new Standards by January 1, 2022. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has provided several resources to support your transition to the new Standards. Check out the Information Package that includes accrediting bodies that have adopted the Standards, introduction, new Standards at a glance, Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, and reorganization of the Accreditation Criteria.
Toolkit
For this initial collection of tools, the focus is on Standard 1: Ensure Content is Valid and Standard 3: Identify, Mitigate, and Disclose Relevant Financial Relationships. These two standards are applicable to all accredited providers. Use of these resources is completely optional. Many accredited providers have their own policies, procedures, forms, and mechanisms to facilitate the planning and delivery of accredited education — as you review your own practices, you may wish to check them against these resources to ensure you are positioned to meet expectations.
Tools from the toolkit
Transition Checklist
A checklist to help you transition to the new Standards.
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Resources and Documents for Initial Accreditation, Reaccreditation, and Commendation
Information and Pre-Application for Initial Accreditation
Information and Pre-Application for first-time applicants.
Reaccreditation
Guide to the Process for Accreditation
Instructions for providers receiving accreditation decisions from the Texas Medical Association for the Self-Study Report, Performance-in-Practice and Interview.
Self-Study Report — Reaccreditation and Initial Accreditation
Form for providers receiving accreditation decisions from the Texas Medical Association.
Commendation
Accredited CME providers have the option to aim to achieve Accreditation with Commendation. The goal is to encourage and reward accredited CME providers for implementing best practices in pedagogy, engagement, evaluation, and change management, and for focusing on generating meaningful outcomes. Providers that earn this distinction are awarded a six-year accreditation term.
There are 16 commendation criteria, divided into 5 categories: Promotes Team-based Education, Addresses Public Health Priorities, Enhances Skills, Demonstrates Educational Leadership, and Achieves Outcomes. To be eligible for Accreditation with Commendation, CME providers will need to demonstrate compliance with any seven criteria of their choice, from any category—plus one criterion from the Achieves Outcomes category—for a total of eight criteria from the Menu of Commendation Criteria. Check out the library of FAQs, Compliance Examples, and videos provided by ACCME.
Self-Study Report — Accreditation with Commendation
Form for providers pursuing accreditation with commendation.
Performance-in-Practice
TMA Performance-in-Practice Structured Abstract
Includes requirements and instructions for using the structured abstract for the activity file review for providers receiving accreditation decisions from the Texas Medical Association
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