The bill amends the West Virginia Medical Practice Act and the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons Act to include a requirement for continuing medical education in nutrition for license renewal. Specifically, it mandates that physicians and podiatrists complete a minimum of fifty hours of continuing education, which must now include medical education in nutrition, as part of their biennial license renewal process. Similarly, osteopathic physicians must complete thirty-two hours of educational refresher training, with a requirement that fifty percent of these hours be classified as Category I, also including nutrition education.

Additionally, the bill provides the board with rule-making authority to establish guidelines for these continuing education requirements. It emphasizes the importance of nutrition education in the ongoing training of medical professionals, reflecting a growing recognition of the role nutrition plays in overall health care. The changes are set to take effect 90 days after passage, which is June 12, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Originating in Committee: 30-3-12, 30-14-10
Engrossed Version: 30-3-12, 30-14-10
Enrolled Version: 30-3-12, 30-14-10