There is no separate CME target for allied health in Saudi Arabia. SCFHS sets the hours by your professional category: allied health technicians need 20 hours, allied health specialists need 40, and pharmacists need 40, in every two-year registration period.
What "allied health" means for your CME target
"Allied health" is a wide label. It covers the people who run the laboratory, the imaging suite, the pharmacy, the physiotherapy gym, the nutrition clinic and the respiratory therapy service. SCFHS does not treat these professions as one group with one number. Each person holds a professional classification, and that classification belongs to a category. The category is what sets your continuing education (CME, called CPD in Mumaris Plus) target.
That is why two colleagues in the same laboratory can have different targets. The laboratory technician and the laboratory specialist do similar work, yet one is a technician and the other a specialist, so one needs 20 hours and the other 40.
Allied health technicians
Laboratory, radiology, pharmacy and other health technicians.
Allied health specialists
Laboratory, radiology, physiotherapy, nutrition and respiratory therapy specialists.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists and clinical pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians follow the 20-hour target.
Find your role in the table
Read the classification on your SCFHS registration first, then match it below. The category column is the one that counts.
| Role | SCFHS category | Hours per period | Bundle that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory technician | Technician | 20 | 20 CME hours |
| Laboratory specialist | Specialist | 40 | 40 CME hours |
| Radiology technician | Technician | 20 | 20 CME hours |
| Radiology specialist | Specialist | 40 | 40 CME hours |
| Physiotherapy specialist | Specialist | 40 | 40 CME hours |
| Nutrition specialist | Specialist | 40 | 40 CME hours |
| Respiratory therapy specialist | Specialist | 40 | 40 CME hours |
| Pharmacy technician | Technician | 20 | 20 CME hours |
| Pharmacist | Pharmacist | 40 | 40 CME hours |
How does the two-year period work?
Your hours belong to your registration period, which lasts two years. The calendar below is the same for every allied health profession.
If your hours are not complete when you renew, SCFHS can renew for one year instead of two, and only once. A steady pace through the period avoids that.
What counts toward your hours?
Only accredited activities count, and accreditation is given per activity and per provider. A course from a recognised provider is not automatically accredited; the specific activity must be. Renewal then reads the hours posted to your Mumaris Plus record, not the certificates in your files. For activities inside the Kingdom, the provider posts the hours for you.
- Confirm your category and the hours still due in Mumaris Plus.
- Choose accredited activities that cover the gap.
- Complete each course and its assessment, then download the certificate from your dashboard.
- Check that the provider has posted the hours to your CPD record.
Two colleagues, one laboratory: a worked example
A laboratory technician and a laboratory specialist start their periods in the same month. Six months before the end, both open Mumaris Plus. The technician has 5 hours posted from a hospital workshop and needs 15 more, so three 5-hour courses finish the job. The specialist has 10 posted and needs 30, which the 30-hour bundle covers exactly. Same lab, same bench, different gaps.
The trap is copying each other. If the technician follows the specialist and buys 30, he pays for hours he does not need; if the specialist follows the technician and stops at 15, she reaches renewal short. Technicians can find more detail in the 20-hour guide for technicians, and pharmacy, lab and radiology staff in SCFHS CME hours for pharmacists, lab and radiology.
Bundles for allied health professionals
Every Mulhim course is SCFHS accredited and gives 5 CME hours. Mulhim is fully accredited. Each bundle comes with 6 months of access, certificates download from your dashboard, and Mulhim posts your hours to Mumaris Plus within 24 to 48 business hours.
For the full picture across all categories, including physicians and dentists, read our guide to CME hours by SCFHS category.
Close to your renewal date and worried about your hours? Talk to us.
Talk to usFrequently asked questions
Do allied health professionals have their own CME target?
No. Each allied health professional falls into an SCFHS category. Technicians need 20 hours, specialists and pharmacists need 40, every two years.
How many CME hours does a physiotherapist need?
A physiotherapy specialist is in the specialist category and needs 40 hours in each two-year registration period.
Do lab technicians and lab specialists need the same hours?
No. A laboratory technician needs 20 hours. A laboratory specialist needs 40 hours.
How many hours does a pharmacist need?
Pharmacists need 40 hours every two years. Pharmacy technicians need 20.
Where do I see my own target?
In your Mumaris Plus account. It shows your classification and the hours still due in your current period.
Source: SCFHS Mumaris Plus frequently asked questions. Always confirm your own target in your Mumaris Plus account. Medically reviewed by Dr. Abdullah Alsaiari, Medical Editorial Board Member.
