New Educational Video Series on Physician Professional Boundaries Offers Free CME
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 23, 2025) – Washington, D.C. – The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), the FSMB Foundation, and the AIM Foundation are proud to announce the release of a new, free educational video series designed to promote professionalism and ethical standards in medicine by exploring the critical topic of physician professional boundaries.
This innovative series, now available online, features concise, scenario-based videos depicting real-world challenges physicians may face in maintaining appropriate boundaries with patients. The series guides viewers through three common situations where boundaries may become blurred:
- Writing prescriptions for friends and family
- Pursuing inappropriate romantic relationships with patients, their guardians, or key third parties
- Conducting intimate examinations without clear communication and patient consent
Each scenario is followed by expert guidance on recognizing, understanding, and navigating these complex situations, emphasizing the importance of professionalism, ethical conduct, and maintaining trust in the physician-patient relationship.
This educational activity is intended for a wide audience, including medical students, practicing physicians, patients, members and staff of state medical and osteopathic boards, and others in the medical regulatory community. By addressing these issues, the series aims to foster respectful, appropriate, and trust-based physician-patient interactions.
CME Accreditation
The Federation of State Medical Boards is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This enduring material is designated for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
The FSMB Foundation and AIM Foundation, in partnership with FSMB, are committed to supporting research and education initiatives that improve patient safety and the quality of health care through effective medical regulation and professional development. This new video series exemplifies their shared mission to provide innovative, accessible educational resources to the medical community.
About the Federation of State Medical Boards
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization representing the medical boards within the United States and its territories that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals. The FSMB serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best practices. The FSMB serves the public through Docinfo.org, a free physician search tool which provides background information on the more than 1 million doctors in the United States. To learn more about the FSMB, visit www.fsmb.org.
About the FSMB Foundation
The mission of the FSMB Foundation is to support and promote research and education initiatives that strengthen the safety and quality of health care through effective medical regulation.
At the heart of the Foundation’s mission – and what makes it unique among other health care foundations – is that it is focused on improving the long-term effectiveness and viability of the nation’s state medical board system as a means of achieving safer, higher quality health care.
By funding research and education initiatives that strengthen, support and advance the work of these boards, the FSMB Foundation contributes to the safety of patients and the quality of the care they receive.
About the Administrators in Medicine (AIM) Foundation
The Administrators in Medicine (AIM) Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports and funds projects aimed at improving patient safety and the skills of AIM member boards and their staff. It also supports research on issues impacting AIM member boards. The foundation's goal is to advance public safety through administrative excellence in medical licensing and regulation.