CME (Continuing Medical Education) certification is the official accreditation of a medical training event by a state medical association. It allows participants to earn qualifying credits, which are legally required to maintain a medical license.
Required for: Medical training courses, medical congresses
Issuing body: State medical associations
Basis for credits: Event category (A–K) as defined by the German Medical Association (BÄK)
What is CME certification?
CME stands for Continuing Medical Education – the ongoing professional development for physicians that is legally mandated in Germany (§ 95d SGB V). Anyone holding a medical license must earn at least 250 credits within a five-year period. These credits are awarded exclusively for events that have been previously certified by a state medical association .
For organizers of medical congresses, CME certification is not just a nice-to-have, but a key selling point: without credits, the willingness to attend drops significantly.
Application process
- Application to the responsible state medical association – ideally six to twelve weeks before the event. The responsible association is determined by the event location.
- Submission of the program including topics, times, speakers, and learning objectives.
- Sponsorship transparency: Industrial support must be disclosed – violations may result in exclusion from certification.
- Evaluation by the medical association according to the criteria of the German Medical Association (BÄK), classification into a category (A to K).
- Issuance of the certification number and determination of the number of credits per participation unit.
Credit categories (selection)
- Category A: Lecture and discussion – 1 credit per 45 minutes
- Category B: Multi-day congresses – evaluated on a daily basis
- Category C: Workshops, courses with learning assessment – higher credit value
- Category D: E-learning with learning assessment
- Category K: Clinical observerships, tutorials
The maximum number of credits per day is capped (typically 6–8 credits), regardless of the actual duration of the event.
Obligations on the day of the event
- Recording the Uniform Continuing Education Number (EFN) for each participant – barcode on the medical ID card or manual entry
- Attendance documentation: proof that the participant attended at least 80% of the event (typically via digital check-in at the beginning and end)
- Evaluation of any learning assessments for higher categories
- Issuance of the CME-compliant certificate of attendance with certification number, number of credits, and required signature details
Transmission to the EIV
The credits are reported via the Electronic Information Distributor (EIV) of the German Medical Association to the participant's local medical chamber. They are then credited to the individual's personal continuing education account. Transmission must take place no later than three months after the end of the event.
Common pitfalls
- Application submitted too late – certification does not arrive in time
- Industry sponsorship not disclosed with sufficient transparency
- Incomplete attendance documentation – credits retroactively revoked
- Incorrect EFN provided during registration – credits assigned to the wrong person
- Learning assessment not implemented in accordance with standards
CME management in Converia
Converia supports the CME workflow: capturing the EFN/CME number during registration, automatic attendance tracking at check-in, and generation of CME-compliant certificates of attendance
Automatically document CME points
Streamline your conference organization with Converia
- Certificate of attendance – Communication & Journey
- Digital check-in – On-site event operations
- Attendee management – Ticketing & registration
EFN capture and attendance documentation – automated and CME-compliant.