Category Definition
Michigan implicit bias training is required for health professions licensed or registered under Article 15 of the Michigan Public Health Code, except veterinary medicine. Administrative Rule R 338.7004 requires at least 2 hours within the 5 years immediately preceding initial licensure or registration. Renewal, relicensure, and reregistration require at least 1 hour for each year in the license or registration cycle. Michigan Administrative Code: Rule 338.7004
The hour calculation follows the license term, not the profession name by itself. A standard 2-year license cycle requires 2 hours, a standard 3-year cycle requires 3 hours, and a standard 4-year cycle requires 4 hours. The training can be completed in one activity covering the full requirement or through multiple distinct activities. Michigan does not allow substantially identical training to be repeated for credit within the same renewal cycle.
| Licensing situation | Michigan requirement | How to apply the rule |
|---|---|---|
| Initial licensure or registration | At least 2 hours within the preceding 5 years | A nursing student, medical resident, pharmacy graduate, or other Article 15 applicant can complete the training before the license is issued. |
| 1-year license cycle | 1 hour per renewal | Common for certain limited, intern, or educational licenses. Use the actual term printed on the license. |
| 2-year license cycle | 2 hours per renewal | One 2-hour course or two different 1-hour courses can satisfy the hour requirement. |
| 3-year license cycle | 3 hours per renewal | One 3-hour course can cover the full cycle. LARA does not require one hour to be completed during each separate year. |
| 4-year license cycle | 4 hours per renewal | The licensee needs 4 total hours during the cycle, without carrying hours into the next cycle. |
Michigan professions and implicit bias hours for 2026
The following table uses the standard renewal cycles published by Michigan LARA as of October 2, 2026. Limited, temporary, educational, and special-volunteer licenses can have shorter terms, so those licensees should use the cycle printed on the individual license. Michigan LARA license renewal cycle table
| Profession or license group | Standard renewal cycle | Implicit bias hours per standard renewal | Typical course path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course |
| Audiology | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course |
| Chiropractic | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course |
| Nursing, including RN, LPN, and RN specialty licenses | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour ANCC-accredited course |
| Nursing home administration | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course |
| Occupational therapy, including OT and OTA | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course |
| Optometry | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course with an appropriate optometry credit route when CE credit is needed |
| Pharmacy, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour Michigan Board of Pharmacy-listed course; choose ACPE credit when needed for another credential |
| Psychology | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course with an appropriate psychology credit route when CE credit is needed |
| Speech-language pathology | 2 years | 2 hours | One 2-hour course |
| Athletic training | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Counseling | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Dentistry, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental therapists | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course; choose ADA CERP credit when the hours must also qualify as dental CE |
| Dietitian nutritionists | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course with a dietetics credit route when CE credit is needed |
| Genetic counseling | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Marriage and family therapy | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Massage therapy | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Medicine, MD | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour ACCME-accredited activity carrying AMA PRA Category 1 Credit |
| Licensed midwifery | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Osteopathic medicine and surgery, DO | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course; confirm the credit category if applying it to an AOA-specific CME total |
| Physical therapy, including PT and PTA | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Physician assistants | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course carrying an appropriate PA credit route |
| Podiatric medicine and surgery | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Respiratory care | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Sanitarians | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course |
| Social work, including standard LMSW and LBSW licenses | 3 years | 3 hours | One 3-hour course with ASWB or another accepted social work credit route when CE credit is needed |
| Behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts | 4 years | 4 hours | Four total hours completed through one or more non-duplicative activities |
| Veterinary medicine and veterinary technicians | Excluded from R 338.7004 | Not required under this rule | No Michigan implicit bias course is required solely under R 338.7004 |
Social work is worth calling out because standard LMSW and LBSW licenses follow a recurring 3-year cycle, not the 2-year pattern used by nursing, pharmacy, and several allied health professions. R 338.2961 also bases the social work continuing education requirement on the 3 years immediately preceding renewal. Limited social work licenses can have 1-year terms, so limited licensees should use the term shown on their license rather than automatically buying 3 hours. Michigan LARA social work licensing guide
Dated examples of the hour calculation
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Two-year RN example: If MiPLUS shows a license term from November 1, 2024 through October 31, 2026, the renewal requirement is 2 hours. The nurse can complete one 2-hour course or two different 1-hour courses before renewing.
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Three-year physician example: If a physician's license term runs from November 1, 2023 through October 31, 2026, the physician needs 3 hours of implicit bias training for that renewal. One 3-hour activity can cover all three years.
Online format, assessments, and proof of completion
The March 23, 2023 LARA update expanded acceptable delivery methods to include an asynchronous teleconference or webinar. A qualifying online course does not have to be a live class, but it must meet the content and assessment standards in the rule. Training must include strategies for reducing disparities and the administration of pre-test and post-test implicit bias assessments. Michigan LARA Implicit Bias Training FAQs, March 23, 2023
Submitting a license application or renewal constitutes an attestation of compliance. Licensees must retain documentation for 6 years after applying. If LARA conducts an audit, acceptable proof includes a completion certificate or self-attestation containing the training date, sponsor name, program title, and learner's name.
Market Context
Michigan buyers usually begin with a profession-specific question, but the first calculation is the license term. Nurses and pharmacists commonly need 2 hours because their standard cycles are 2 years. Physicians, social workers, dentists, physical therapists, physician assistants, and many other professions commonly need 3 hours because their standard cycles are 3 years.
The next question is whether the same activity must produce profession-specific CE or CME credit. A course can satisfy R 338.7004 as implicit bias training without automatically being the right credit type for every separate credential, board total, or national certification. Physicians usually want AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, pharmacists may prefer ACPE credit, dentists may need ADA CERP credit, and social workers may want ASWB credit.
Does Michigan implicit bias training count toward renewal CE?
There is no accurate universal answer for every profession. R 338.7004 states, “Unless prohibited by the code or rules, this training may be used” toward other renewal training or continuing education requirements. LARA's FAQ applies the same boundary: “If permitted by the Public Health Code and rules for your profession,” the training can satisfy other CE requirements. A blanket claim that the hours are always additional is therefore too broad, but a blanket claim that they always count is also too broad. Michigan Administrative Code: R 338.7004(2)
| Profession | Can the implicit bias hours count toward the profession's CE total? | What determines the answer |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | Yes, when the activity is also accepted nursing continuing education | Michigan accepts ANCC-approved nursing CE. The activity must satisfy both R 338.7004 and the nursing CE acceptance rules. Michigan LARA nursing licensing guide |
| Pharmacy | Yes, when the activity qualifies under the pharmacy continuing education rules | R 338.3042 permits qualifying implicit bias training to comply with both the training and continuing education requirement during the same renewal period. Michigan pharmacy continuing education rules |
| Medicine, MD | Yes, when the activity is approved under the medicine continuing education rules | Michigan medicine rules permit qualifying implicit bias education to be applied toward the 150-hour CME requirement. An ACCME-accredited activity can also supply the physician's needed credit documentation. Michigan medicine continuing education rules |
| Osteopathic medicine, DO | Yes, when the course is approved under the osteopathic continuing education rules | The Michigan implicit bias requirement and the DO's AOA credit-category requirements are separate checks. Michigan osteopathic medicine renewal rules |
| Social work | Yes | Michigan LARA confirms that, effective March 23, 2023, implicit bias training can be used to satisfy social work continuing education requirements. Michigan social work FAQs |
| Other Article 15 professions | Potentially, but only when the course also meets that profession's CE rules | Check the profession's current board rules and the credit designation on the exact course. Meeting R 338.7004 alone does not create every national or profession-specific credit type. |
LARA does not pre-approve a universal list of individual implicit bias programs. The licensee remains responsible for choosing training that meets the rule, supplies the required assessments, comes from an acceptable sponsor, and produces usable documentation. Michigan LARA Implicit Bias Training FAQs
Company Positioning
Renew Now CE is built for licensees who want to purchase the specific number of Michigan hours they owe without subscribing to a general CE library. Its Michigan courses use an asynchronous webinar format, include the required pre-test and post-test, save learner progress, and provide an individual certificate after completion.
| Renew Now CE option | Price | Hours and credit route | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course 174: Michigan Implicit Bias Training | $25 | 1 contact hour; ANCC Provider P0557 and Michigan nursing and pharmacy board listing | A renewing licensee who owes one hour, or a buyer combining distinct 1-hour activities |
| Course 175: Michigan Implicit Bias Training | $35 | 2 contact hours; ANCC Provider P0557 and Michigan Boards of Nursing and Pharmacy approval record 50-18921 | Initial applicants and standard 2-year-cycle licensees, including nurses and pharmacists |
| Course 182: Michigan Implicit Bias Training | $95 | 3 hours with jointly accredited credit routes including ACCME, ACPE, ANCC, ADA CERP, AAPA, APA, ASWB, CDR, and COPE | Physicians and other 3-year-cycle professionals who want the Michigan mandate and profession-specific credit from one activity |
| Course 199: Michigan Physician Mandated CME Package | $175 | 7 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits: 3 hours implicit bias, 1 hour medical ethics, and 3 hours pain and pain symptom management | Michigan physicians who want all three recurring mandated CME topics in one purchase |
The 2-hour path is the straightforward option for a Michigan RN, LPN, pharmacist, pharmacy technician, occupational therapist, psychologist, or other standard 2-year-cycle professional. Renew Now CE holds ANCC Accredited Provider status under P0557, and its Michigan nursing and pharmacy approval record is listed under 50-18921. CE Broker Michigan nursing and pharmacy listing
The 3-hour jointly accredited activity is the more practical route for an MD seeking AMA PRA Category 1 Credit or a non-nursing professional who wants an identified national credit path rather than a certificate used only for the state mandate. The 7-hour physician package goes further by combining the physician's 3-hour implicit bias requirement with Michigan's medical ethics and pain-management topics.
Buying Michigan implicit bias training for a clinic or student cohort
Renew Now CE supports group purchases for nursing units, clinics, mixed-license teams, and education programs. The administrator receives one invoice or purchase order, distributes one access link, and receives an individual certificate for every participant who completes the assigned course. That structure is especially useful for nursing programs purchasing the 2-hour initial-licensure course for students and clinics assigning different hour totals to staff on 2-year and 3-year cycles. Renew Now CE group and bulk purchasing
Mixed-profession buyers should provide the headcount, license types, and required credit routes before assignment. A clinic with nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and social workers may need more than one course configuration even though every participant is completing the same Michigan mandate. The relevant distinction is not only 2 hours versus 3 hours, but also ANCC, ACPE, ACCME, ASWB, or another profession-specific credit path.
Key Considerations
Renew Now CE is the best fit when...
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You know whether the learner needs 1, 2, 3, or more hours and want a one-time purchase rather than an annual CE membership.
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You need an asynchronous Michigan course with the pre-test and post-test required by R 338.7004.
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You are a nursing student or other initial applicant who needs 2 hours completed before the license is issued.
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You are a physician who wants 3 hours of Michigan implicit bias training carrying AMA PRA Category 1 Credit.
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You are buying for a clinic, unit, or education program and want one invoice with individual learner certificates.
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You manage a mixed clinical team and need to route learners by both license-cycle length and profession-specific credit type.
Renew Now CE is not a fit when...
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You want an unlimited elective course library for general professional development rather than a discrete Michigan licensing requirement.
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You have not checked the term printed on a limited, educational, temporary, or special license. Those license terms can differ from the standard profession cycle.
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You need a national or profession-specific credit designation that is not attached to the course you selected. Choose the jointly accredited activity that lists the required credit route instead.
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You need a full enterprise learning management system rather than course access, completion records, and certificates.
What to verify before you buy
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Confirm whether the learner is applying for initial licensure or renewing an existing license.
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For renewal, check the actual license term in MiPLUS. Multiply the number of years in that term by 1 hour.
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Choose one course covering the full total or multiple distinct courses whose hours add up to the total. Do not repeat identical or substantially identical training in the same cycle.
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If the hours also need to count toward a profession's CE or CME total, match the course's credit designation to that profession's rules.
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Confirm that the course includes the required pre-test and post-test and supplies a completion certificate with the information needed for an audit.
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Keep the completion record for 6 years after the licensure or renewal application.
Licensees who are still deciding between 1, 2, and 3 hours can use the Michigan implicit bias course hour guide. Administrators assigning training across a clinic or program can use the Michigan staff purchasing guide to map courses to the workforce before requesting group pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Michigan implicit bias training requirement in 2026?
Initial applicants need at least 2 hours completed within the 5 years immediately before their license or registration is issued. Renewing licensees need at least 1 hour for each year in their license cycle. That produces 2 hours for a 2-year cycle, 3 hours for a 3-year cycle, and 4 hours for a 4-year cycle. Veterinary medicine is excluded from R 338.7004. Michigan Administrative Code: implicit bias training standards
What is the best Michigan implicit bias training online?
The strongest online option is the course that matches both the required hour total and the learner's credit route. A standard 2-year-cycle nurse or pharmacist usually needs 2 hours, while a physician or social worker on a standard 3-year cycle needs 3 hours. The course should use an accepted asynchronous webinar format, administer a pre-test and post-test, and provide a certificate after completion. Renew Now CE offers separate 1-hour, 2-hour, and jointly accredited 3-hour paths rather than routing every profession into the same product.
Can a Michigan nursing student complete implicit bias training before graduation or licensure?
Yes. A nursing student or graduate applying for an initial Michigan RN or LPN license can complete the required 2 hours before holding an active license. The training must fall within the 5 years immediately preceding license issuance. Renew Now CE Course 175 provides 2 contact hours, carries ANCC Provider P0557 accreditation, and is listed for Michigan nursing under provider record 50-18921. Renew Now CE 2-hour Michigan implicit bias course
Does Michigan implicit bias training count toward my regular CE total?
It can count when the course also meets the continuing education rules for the profession. Michigan's general rule permits the hours to satisfy other CE requirements unless the profession's code or rules prohibit it. Michigan social work rules expressly allow the hours to count, and medicine, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and several other profession rules contain similar provisions. Nurses can include the hours when the course is accepted nursing CE. The correct answer therefore depends on the profession and the course's actual credit designation, not on a universal statewide rule.
Which course should a Michigan physician or pharmacist choose?
A Michigan physician on a standard 3-year cycle needs 3 hours and will usually want an ACCME-accredited activity carrying AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, such as Renew Now CE Course 182. A pharmacist on a standard 2-year cycle usually needs 2 hours and can use Course 175 when the Michigan Board of Pharmacy-listed path meets the buyer's needs. Pharmacists who also need ACPE credit should select a jointly accredited activity that explicitly lists ACPE rather than assuming every Michigan compliance course carries it. Renew Now CE 3-hour jointly accredited course
Can a Michigan clinic or nursing program buy implicit bias training for a group?
Yes. Renew Now CE supports group purchases for staff teams and student cohorts through one invoice or purchase order, one distribution link, and an individual certificate for each participant. A nursing program can assign the 2-hour initial-licensure course to students, while a mixed clinic can separate 2-year-cycle and 3-year-cycle staff and assign the appropriate credit route to each profession. Renew Now CE group CE access