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Cognate Program

Overview

Many states require continuing medical education (CME) to maintain a license to practice medicine. ACOG’s Cognate Program is a voluntary program designed to maintain a personalize transcript of CME (AMA PRA Category 1 credit™ ) credits to assist participants in meeting individual state requirements. 

The Cognate Program is open to all active physician membership categories of ACOG and is composed of two three-year cycles to total six years. The first three-year cycle is established at the date of the earliest reported activity. A physician member that wishes to join the program may submit activities for the past two calendar years plus the current year. 

Cycle updates are made in January of each year and the ACOG Award for Continuing Professional Development is issued automatically to participants who successfully complete the program. The program requires a minimum of 150 cognate credits within a three-year cycle to earn the award certificate.

How to Participate in the Cognate Program 

The Cognate Program is open to all physician membership categories of ACOG. All ACOG activities will automatically be posted to your ACOG Cognate Transcript. Enrollment in the program is automatic upon ACOG’s receipt of the first appropriate continuing medical education activity verification. 

Participants in the ACOG Program for Continuing Professional Development can review their cognate activity in their MyACOG dashboard. 

Externally received credits may be self-reported to your ACOG Cognate Transcript once appropriate verification has been reviewed and approved by ACOG. Self-reported verification must include:

  • A verification document (certificate or correspondence) from an accredited provider indicating that the activity is Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)-accredited.
  • Type of credit (Certificates issued by the organization must specify that the activity meets AMA Category 1 criteria)
  • Full Name
  • ACOG ID number (nine-digit number that appears on your ACOG membership card)
  • Date(s) of the activity
  • Full title of the activity
  • The maximum number of credits that can be claimed for the activity
  • Number of credits earned (claim only credits actually spent on the activity)

Submit Cognate Activity

State Licensing Topics

To assist in meeting individual state requirements, postgraduate courses or meetings, enduring materials, or lectures related to specific topics will be identified on the transcript. These topics include:

  • Ethics
  • Domestic violence
  • HIV/AIDS programs
  • Infection control
  • Ultrasound
  • Pain management
  • Patient safety
  • Risk evaluation mitigation and strategies
  • Human trafficking
  • Child abuse 
  • COVID-19

Qualifying Activities

All ACOG activities are automatically added to your transcript. The following activities qualify for self-reporting as long as they are certified to be AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM by a CME provider.

  • Enduring (On demand webinars, online courses, books, session recordings)
  • Grand Rounds
  • Hybrid (Blended live and on demand. May be listed as Other on certificate)
  • Journal Based
  • Live (Webinars or Meetings)
  • Manuscript Review
  • Presenting at an Accredited Meeting
  • Test-Item Writing

Contact

If there are any questions regarding the Cognate Program for Continuing Professional Development, please contact us at [email protected] or at (800) 673-8444, ext. 2555 or (202) 863-2555.