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HB 2562

Boards and Commissions - As enacted, requires at least one hour of the board of medical examiners' required continuing education hours to be completed on topics related to nutrition; requires the same of the board of osteopathic examination. - Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by William Lamberth

Tennessee requires physicians and osteopathic doctors to complete one hour of continuing education on nutrition topics to maintain licensure.

Comp. became Pub. Ch. 857
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Bill Summary · HB 2562

Legislative bill overview

HB 2562 mandates that Tennessee's Board of Medical Examiners and Board of Osteopathic Examination require physicians and osteopathic doctors to complete at least one hour of continuing education specifically on nutrition-related topics. This modifies existing continuing education requirements under Tennessee Code Annotated titles addressing medical and osteopathic licensing.

Why is this important

Continuing education requirements shape what physicians prioritize in their professional development. This bill reflects a policy choice that nutrition education is sufficiently important to mandate minimum training time for all practicing physicians in the state, potentially improving patient outcomes in chronic disease management and preventive care.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope creep concerns: Medical boards may argue that mandating specific CE topics sets a precedent for other interests to demand their own required hours, diluting the value of CE programs overall
  • Definition ambiguity: The bill doesn't specify what qualifies as "nutrition" education—whether this includes clinical nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, supplementation, or broader lifestyle medicine
  • Opportunity cost: One hour is relatively small, but critics may argue that physicians should have autonomy to select CE topics matching their specialty and patient populations rather than universal mandates

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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