Free Continuing Education Opportunities
CDC, Medscape, and other HIV organizations offer a variety of free CME, CE, CPE, and other learning programs for health care providers to build and maintain their skills across the HIV prevention and care continuum. Browse the menus below to access current learning opportunities.
Current Continuing Medical Education/Continuing Education (CME/CE) Programs
Expert Insights on Optimizing HIV Treatment as Prevention to Address Health Disparities
This activity is intended for primary care physicians, ID/HIV and public health & preventative medicine specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners and other clinicians who care for people with HIV. The goal of this activity is for learners to be better able to address barriers in HIV care by implementing treatment as prevention of the sexual transmission of HIV. Upon completion of this activity, participants will:
- Have increased knowledge regarding ther ole of treatment as prevention (TasP) in preventing sexual transmission of HIV
- Have greater competence related to
- Identifying the appropriate antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen for TasP in individuals exposed
- Identifying barriers to HIV prevention and care for disproportionately affected populations
- Demonstrate greater confidence in their ability to work as part of an interprofessional team to communicate with people with HIV (PWH) to improve retention in care
Authors: David Wohl, MD; Myron S. Cohen, MD; James L. Raper, PhD, RN, FNP-BC; Anu Hazra, MD; Rupa R. Patel, MD, MPH
Note: While an account is free to clinicians, a Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU: This activity is acceptable for up to .75 contact hours of CME or CE credits. Certification began on 09/28/2023. Term of approval is for one year from this date (09/28/2024). Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
A Status Neutral Approach to Providing Holistic HIV Prevention and Care Services
This activity is intended for primary care physicians, infectious disease/HIV specialists, public health and preventive medicine specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other clinicians who treat patients with HIV/AIDS.
The goal of this activity is for learners to be better able to integrate a status neutral approach into clinical practice using an interprofessional team-based approach.
Upon completion of this activity, participants will:
- Have increased knowledge regarding the status neutral approach to the delivery of HIV-related services
- Demonstrate greater confidence in their ability to integrate a status neutral approach into clinical practice in an interprofessional team-based approach
Author: Oni Blackstock, MD, MHS
Note: While an account is free to clinicians, a Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU: This activity is acceptable for up to .25 contact hours of CME or CE credits. Certification began on 07/20/2023. Term of approval is for one year from this date (07/20/2024). Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Individualizing Sexual Health Care: A Virtual Patient Simulation
There is more to sexual wellness than treating STIs. Can you provide these virtual patients with a comprehensive sexual wellness screening?
Enhance your clinical skills as you engage with patients in an objective and realistic interactive simulation. Treat patients, diagnose medical conditions, and prescribe medications. There are no limits to your choices—order from thousands of labs, diagnoses, devices, and drugs using an intuitive patient chart-based interface.
Powerful metrics track your performance and provide instant expert feedback on your decisions. Upon completion, results will be presented, along with author commentary on each case.
Authors: Michelle S. Cespedes, MD; Babafemi O. Taiwo, MBBS
Note: While an account is free to clinicians, a Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU: This activity is acceptable for up to 1.0 contact hour of CME or CE credits. Valid for credit through 04/25/24. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Current Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) Programs
Review available free CPE opportunities below or download a PDF flyer [367 KB]
STI/HIV Training Modules for Pharmacists from the National Community Pharmacists Association
Per the STI National Strategic Plan (2021-2025), pharmacists are included amongst non-traditional providers who are integral in supporting ongoing scale-up of STI screening and linkage to care. A series of six 30-minute educational modules has been developed on a range of topics collaboratively by the National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers and National Association of County & City Health Officials. CE is available, and topics include:
- Intro and Sexual Health Discussions with Patients
- Creating an Environment of Equitable Care
- STI Diagnosis and Testing
- HIV Testing for Non-Traditional Settings
- STI Treatment
- HIV PEP, PrEP, and Prevention
The purpose of this course is to provide the learner with the knowledge and skills to initiate clinical pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care and provide follow-up monitoring. This course provides an overview of the pharmacology of PrEP medication, important lab tests, and clinical considerations in starting PrEP. This course reviews:
- Ruling out HIV infection.
- Considerations for the test window period.
- Signs and symptoms of acute HIV infection.
- Follow-up monitoring and important educational messages for people on PrEP.
Note: A free CDC TRAIN account is required to view the program.
CPE credits: CDC designated this Knowledge-based or Application-based event for pharmacists to receive 0.135 CE credits in pharmacy education.
Expires: 11/07/2023
HIV PrEP: Engaging Patients with PrEP in U.S. Clinics
This course covers approaches for engaging with and identifying patients who may benefit from PrEP to increase access to and uptake of PrEP.
Note: A free CDC TRAIN account is required to view the program.
CPE credits: This course is appropriate for 0.119 CPE credits.
Expires: 03/04/2023
HIV Testing in Retail Pharmacies
This training aims to equip pharmacists and pharmacy staff to conduct HIV testing using rapid test technology with control solutions. The training teaches participants CDC’s Six-Step HIV Testing Protocol and reviews considerations for implementing HIV testing in pharmacy settings.
Note: To sign up for this course, contact the National HIV Classroom Learning Center at RequestCDCTraining@caiglobal.org.
Format: 1-hour eLearning pre-course, 4.5-hour virtual training.
This course reviews considerations for providing PrEP for pregnant people without HIV whose partners have HIV. PrEP is an effective option to prevent HIV without preventing pregnancy. This course describes:
- How to identify people who could benefit from preconception PrEP.
- Recommendations for prescribing PrEP to people who wish to conceive.
- The safety of PrEP during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- An approach to counseling pregnant people about PrEP use.
Note: A free CDC TRAIN account is required to view the program.
CPE credits: CDC designated this Knowledge-based event for pharmacists to receive 0.125 CE credits in pharmacy education.
Expires: 12/08/2023
Partnership for Health – Medication Adherence
This course is designed to increase knowledge and competency of healthcare providers treating individuals with HIV to conduct medication adherence counseling and develop strategies to support patients in achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Participants will learn a seven-step approach to structure short conversations with patients about medication adherence at every visit.
Format: Online
Expires: 8/3/2023
HIV Testing, Prevention, and Treatment: A Stepwise Approach
This web-based activity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Medscape Education is intended for:
- Primary care providers.
- Infectious disease specialists.
- HIV specialists.
- Nurses.
- Public health and preventive medicine specialists.
The goal of this activity is to discuss the role of primary care providers in various disciplines in preventing HIV infection and optimizing care of people with HIV. After completing this activity, participants will know more about
- Establishing an integrated, interprofessional model for health care providers to handle initial and ongoing patient engagement.
- Identifying opportunities to engage patients across the HIV prevention and care continuum.
- Overcoming challenges in advancing HIV care.
- Incorporating HIV screening, prevention, and management into routine clinical practice.
Faculty: Paul E. Sax, MD; David Malebranche, MD, MPH; Jason E. Farley, PhD, MPH, ANP-BC, AACRN, FAAN; Ariel Watriss, MSN, NP-C; Sampath Wijesinghe, DHSc, MS, MPAS, AAHIVS, PA-C
Note: A free Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU: This activity is acceptable for up to 1.0 contact hour of CME or CE credits. Certification begins on 06/24/2022. Term of approval is for one year from this date (06/24/2023). Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Vital Signs: HIV Infection, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men — United States, 2010–2019external icon
MMWR and Medscape are offering a free CE on HIV infections among men who have sex with men during 2010-2019. An analysis of national data found that new HIV infections remained relatively stable among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men, but infections declined among White men who have sex with men.
Authors: Marc A. Pitasi, MPH; Linda Beer, PhD; Susan Cha, PhD; Shacara Johnson Lyons, MSPH; Angela L. Hernandez, MD; Joseph Prejean, PhD; Linda A. Valleroy, PhD; Stacy M. Crim, MPH; Lindsay Trujillo, MPH; Dominique Hardman, MPA; Elizabeth M. Painter, PhD; Jacqueline Petty, MS; Jonathan H. Mermin, MD; Demetre C. Daskalakis, MD; H. Irene Hall, PhD
Note: While an account is free to clinicians, a Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU: This activity is acceptable for up to .25 contact hour of CME or CE credits. Certification began on 04/04/2022. Term of approval is for one year from this date (04/04/2023). Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Awareness and Referral to Providers Among Hispanic/Latino Persons — United States, 2019
This activity is intended for public health officials, infectious disease clinicians, hematologists, internists, and other clinicians caring for Hispanic patients who may be eligible for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection.
The goal of this activity is to describe PrEP awareness and referral to providers among Hispanic persons, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis of 2019 National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation HIV testing data.
Upon completion of this activity, participants will:
- Describe pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness and referral to providers among Hispanic persons, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis of 2019 National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation HIV testing data
- Determine factors associated with PrEP awareness and referral to providers among Hispanic persons, according to a CDC analysis of 2019 National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation HIV testing data
- Identify clinical and public health implications of PrEP awareness and referral to providers among Hispanic persons, according to a CDC analysis of 2019 National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation HIV testing data
Authors: Shubha Rao, MPH; Mesfin S. Mulatu, PhD; Mingjing Xia, MS; Guoshen Wang, MS; Wei Song, PhD; Aba Essuon, PhD; Deesha Patel, MPH; Adanze Eke, MS; Emilio J. German, MSHSA
Note: While an account is free to clinicians, a Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU: This activity is acceptable for up to .25 contact hour of CME or CE credits. Certification begins on 02/08/2022. Term of approval is for one year from this date (02/08/2023). Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Treatment as Prevention (TasP)external icon
This activity is intended for:
- Primary care providers.
- Infectious diseases/HIV specialists.
- Public health and preventive medicine specialists.
The goal of this activity is to improve health care providers’ knowledge about the benefits of treatment as prevention (TasP) for patients with HIV and the best practices for implementing TasP in clinical practice.
After completing this activity, participants will:
- Know more about the data supporting TasP.
- Understand key barriers and disparities, particularly in the South, that may stop patients from using from using TasP.
- Be familiar with resources and tools to support TasP.
- Be able to more effectively communicate the benefits of treatment for patients, their loved ones, and their sex partners.
Faculty: Myron S. Cohen, MD; Leandro A. Mena, MD, MPH; David J. Malebranche, MD, MPH
Note: A free Medscape account is required to view the program.
CME/CEU credits: This activity is acceptable for up to 1.0 contact hour of CME or CE credits. Certification begins on 07/27/2021. Term of approval is for one year from this date (07/27/2022). Participants should claim only the credit equal to the extent of their participation in the activity.
This activity is intended for pediatricians, infectious disease clinicians, family practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care providers caring for patients who may benefit from PrEP with antiretroviral medication for HIV infection.
The goal of this activity is to describe evidence from expert opinion and published literature regarding providing PrEP to adolescents, according to a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) report.
After completing this activity, participants will be able to:
- Describe PrEP safety data related to adolescents, according to an MMWR report.
- Understand consent, confidentiality, and other issues relevant to providing PrEP for adolescents, according to an MMWR report.
- Determine PrEP medication initiation, adherence, and persistence, according to an MMWR report.
Authors: Mary R. Tanner, MD; Peter Miele, MD; Wendy Carter, DO; Sheila Salvant Valentine, JD; Richard Dunville, MPH; Bill G. Kapogiannis, MD; Dawn K. Smith, MD
Note: A free Medscape account is required to view the program.
HIV Transmission Along the Continuum of Care—United States, 2016
The goal of this activity is to describe estimated HIV transmission rates along the continuum of care in the United States in 2016, according to an HIV transmission model.
This activity is intended for public health officials and health care providers who treat and manage patients with or at risk for HIV infection. These include infectious disease physicians, hematologists, oncologists, internists, other physicians, nurses, and pharmacists.
After completing this activity, participants will:
- Be able to describe the estimated number of people with HIV and the HIV transmission rate at each step along the continuum of care in the United States in 2016, according to an HIV transmission model.
- Be familiar with the 2016 rates of HIV and HIV transmission among people with different demographic factors.
- Understand the clinical and public health implications of estimated HIV transmission rates along the continuum of care.
Authors: Zihao Li, PhD; David W. Purcell, JD, PhD; Stephanie L. Sansom, PhD; Demorah Hayes, MA; H. Irene Hall, PhD
Note: A free Medscape account is required to view the program.
HIV Treatment and Care: A Focus on Mental Health and Substance Use
This web-based activity from CDC and Medscape Education discusses the impact mental health and substance use disorders can have on HIV treatment and care.
After completing this activity, participants will have increased knowledge about the following topics:
- The association between mental health and substance use disorders and difficulty taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed.
- The unique challenges faced by patients with HIV who experience mental health and substance use disorders.
- Strategies for screening for and providing access to support services related to mental health and substance use disorders during HIV treatment and care.
- The clinical benefits of screening for mental health and substance use disorders in the routine medical care of patients with HIV.
Faculty: W. David Hardy, MD; Francine Cournos, MD; Brian Wells Pence, PhD; Glenn Jordan Treisman, MD, PhD
Note: A free Medscape account is required to view the program.
Advancing PrEP in Practice: Practical Strategies for Everyday Challenges
This activity is intended for primary care providers, infectious disease and HIV specialists, and public health and preventive medicine specialists. It will help primary care providers identify patients who could benefit from HIV PrEP.
After completing this activity, participants will be able to better:
- Identify patients who are candidates for PrEP.
- Address the need for clinical and laboratory assessments before PrEP initiation.
- Monitor patients taking PrEP.
- Use PrEP with people who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant.
Faculty: Colleen F. Kelley, MD, MPH
Note: A free Medscape account is required to view the program.
HIV Prevention Certified Provider
HealthHIV’s HIV Prevention Certified Provider program is an online, self-paced CME curriculum composed of five free e-learning courses in HIV prevention. These courses cover the clinical and practice information that health care providers need to effectively employ HIV prevention interventions.
After completing this program, participants will receive:
- A certificate recognizing them as an HIV Prevention Certified Provider.
- 5.0 CE credits.
The HIV Prevention Certified Provider designation is available to:
- Medical doctors (MDs).
- Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs).
- Physician assistants (PAs).
- Nurse practitioners (NPs).
- Registered nurses (RNs).
- Bachelors of science in nursing (BSNs).
- Doctors of pharmacy (PharmDs).
- Other types of health care providers.
Testing Beyond the Clinic Webinar Series
This series provides ongoing information about non-clinic-based, self-collected HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing logistics and program implementation. This resource will be updated regularly with webinar recordings from the series. It is presented by the National Coalition of STD Directors.
Stay informed about quality public health trainings with CDC Learning Connection. Featured trainings are interactive and user-friendly, and they often offer free CE. Sign up for the monthly newsletter to stay up to date.
This learning system provides access to thousands of courses from CDC and other public health organizations. Courses cover a variety of topics, and many offer free CE.
This course helps health care professionals assess their patients’ health literacy and language needs and practice culturally competent care.
The AIDS Education and Training Centers’ National HIV Curriculum
The up-to-date National HIV Curriculum offers six modules with 37 lessons and corresponding question bank topics across HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Free CME credit, Maintenance of Certification (MOC) points, Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) contact hours, and CE contact hours are available throughout the site. Free pharmacology CE for advanced practice nurses is also available for many activities.
