Free online CME is available from established education providers, but the cost and credit claim must be checked for the individual activity. Start with the credit designation you need, then confirm physician eligibility, the claim deadline and what completion requires. A free account, free access to an article and a free CME certificate are separate offers.
This guide compares provider routes checked on 9 November 2026. It also separates accredited education from tools that help you find or record learning, so you can choose the route that fits your purpose.
Free online CME options compared
| Route | What is free | How to complete or claim | What to check before starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDC continuing education | CDC states that access to its educational credits, units and contact hours is provided at no cost | Follow the instructions for the specific activity and profession | The activity's physician CME designation, availability and deadline |
| CDC COCA Calls | COCA continuing education is free | Find the course in CDC TRAIN, complete it, pass the post-assessment and submit the evaluation | The exact call or recording and its current CE instructions |
| Pri-Med's free online selection | Selected online CME/CE activities through a free account | Complete an eligible activity and its required evaluation or assessment | The course's credit types; paid packages also appear on the site |
| AMA Ed Hub | Free registration and many freely accessible activities | Choose an eligible module and complete its stated quiz/evaluation and claim steps | Some CME claiming, including certain JAMA activities, requires membership or subscription |
The first two rows describe routes within CDC rather than two independent providers. They are separated because the COCA page gives a particularly clear course-to-certificate process.
Decide which credit you are looking for
Read the full credit label on the activity. “CME” in a page heading is not enough to tell you the designation, amount or intended profession. A mixed-profession programme can offer different types of recognition for physicians, nurses, pharmacists or physician associates.
For AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, the relevant activity must carry the appropriate designation through the recognised credit system. ACCME describes the requirements applying to activities developed by its accredited providers and associated with that credit. ACCME and AMA credit requirements
If you are also looking for Maintenance of Certification or Continuing Certification credit, look for that named option in the activity's own information. Keep the provider, activity and credit category together in your record. The CPD, CME and MOC comparison explains why these terms are different.
CDC: a clear no-cost route with course-specific instructions
CDC provides several forms of continuing education for health professionals, including physician CME. Its published information states that access to credits, units and contact hours for educational activities is provided at no cost. CDC types of continuing education
For COCA Calls, the official instructions are to find the course in CDC TRAIN, register and complete it, pass the post-assessment, complete the evaluation, then access certificates and the transcript in Your Learning. Recorded material can also have a CE route when the relevant call's instructions provide for it. CDC COCA completion instructions
Use the information attached to the particular course. A familiar series name does not establish that every older episode still has an open credit-claim period. Save the course identifier with the certificate so you can distinguish the activity you completed from other episodes in the series.
Pri-Med: select the free activity rather than a paid package
Pri-Med's catalogue includes video, webinar, podcast and self-paced formats. Its FAQ confirms a selection of free online CME/CE through free registration, while also identifying paid bootcamps and packages. Eligible completed activities have certificate arrangements described by the provider. Pri-Med online CME/CE
Use the course page to check which credit applies to your role. A useful practical approach is to open the credit information before committing to an activity, then confirm any assessment and evaluation steps. The subject, format and realistic time available should also fit your learning need.
The free-selection label is the important distinction. A paid curated package can sit alongside a free individual activity on the same site without changing the terms of either.
AMA Ed Hub: free access and free credit are different filters
AMA Ed Hub allows free account registration and offers a wide range of accessible education. Its help page also explains that taking quizzes and claiming CME for some activities, including certain JAMA Network content, is restricted to members or subscribers. AMA Ed Hub access and claiming FAQs
For a no-cost choice, confirm both the activity access and the credit-claim step before you begin. When an activity involves another education provider on the platform, read that provider's information as well. Keep track of the deadline to claim after completing the learning.
An employer or institutional arrangement may provide access that would otherwise be paid. It can still be a useful route, but label it as included through that arrangement when comparing your options.
Use CME Passport to find and organise activities
ACCME's CME Passport is a free search and transcript tool. It can help you find accredited CME and see completion information reported on your behalf by participating CME coordinators. It is a finder and record service rather than a course that awards credit by itself.
The reporting distinction matters: ACCME explains that physicians cannot self-report completion information into CME Passport. Ask whether an activity's provider reports to the service, and keep your own certificate or transcript where needed. How CME Passport works
A completion checklist that avoids unfinished claims
Before starting:
- Identify the relevant learning need and the credit designation you want.
- Confirm that physicians with your registration circumstances can claim it.
- Check the cost of learning, assessment and the certificate or claim step.
- Note the activity expiry and any separate deadline for claiming credit.
After the learning:
- Finish the assessment, evaluation or attestation requested by the provider.
- Complete the claim process and keep the confirmation.
- Save the activity title, provider, date, credit type and amount with the certificate.
- Add a short note about what you learned and what you intend to apply.
Keep this routine focused on the actual activity. A page viewed, an account created and a module completed are different milestones. Completing the final claim step is often what turns finished learning into a usable provider record.
Where iatroX fits
Use iatroX for structured clinical learning and a personal learning record. Choose the appropriate clinical-content library in the general CPD flow; the current curated 100-topic library is UK clinical content. Use the providers and their activity designations above when you need a specified accredited CME credit.
A verified iatroX account includes one introductory five-question session, Tutor support for those questions, reflection inspiration and a reviewed record you can download as a PDF. Further new learning and AI-assisted features use all-access. This offer is a guided learning-and-recording workflow. iatroX CPD features and access
Try the five-question workflow with US clinical-content context. You can also use the free reflection template to record what a completed learning activity meant for your practice.
Frequently asked questions
Are all activities on a free CME platform free to claim?
Check the individual activity's terms. A platform may offer free educational content alongside membership-based quizzes or paid packages. The comparison above makes those distinctions explicit.
Can an old recording still award CME?
Use the current activity page to confirm its availability and claim deadline. The date you watch a recording and the provider's credit period need to fit the activity's terms.
Does a learning-log PDF automatically award AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™?
The credit comes from a designated activity and its claim process. A personal learning record explains your activity and reflection; retain a provider's credit statement and certificate separately when that is the recognition you need.