Founded in 1871, the Colorado Medical Society is the largest organization of physicians in Colorado, championing health care issues that improve patient care, promote physician professional satisfaction, and create healthier communities across the state.
The Colorado Medical Society (CMS) is the largest organization of physicians in Colorado, with more than 6,000 members across all specialties and employment settings . Founded in 1871 and organized as a Colorado nonprofit 501(c)(6) corporation, CMS operates with 11 full-time staff .
CMS champions health care issues that improve patient care, promote physician professional satisfaction, and create healthier communities in Colorado . Through the years, CMS has played an instrumental role in the formation and support of vital Colorado institutions such as COPIC, the Center for Personalized Education for Professionals (CPEP), and the Colorado Physician Health Program (CPHP) .
Philanthropically, CMS created the CMS Education Foundation, whose mission is to support education by providing scholarships to worthy Colorado medical students . CMS also created and manages COMPAC, its nonpartisan political action committee, and the CMS Small Donor Committee, which work to elect pro-physician, pro-patient candidates at the state level .
CMS membership spans medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. Medical student membership is complimentary while enrolled in medical school — CMS pays both the Medical Student Component society dues and AMA dues for student members .
For the first time in 20 years, CMS adjusted its membership dues starting in 2025, with most dues-paying members experiencing a modest $50 increase. The Board also approved small, inflationary adjustments in the future to ensure the continued viability of CMS .
| Category | Membership |
|---|---|
| Medical Student | Complimentary |
| Resident / Fellow | Via CMS |
| Practicing Physician | Dues apply (2025 adjustment) |
| AMA Dues (Students) | Paid by CMS |
Dues structure modernized in 2025 to meet evolving physician demographics .
CMS puts advocacy front and center — for physicians, the profession, and patients. Whether shaping legislation in the statehouse or influencing regulation in state agencies, CMS is there because both determine how medicine is practiced in Colorado .
The Council on Legislation (COL) meets weekly during the legislative session to review and take positions on bills that impact health care. With more than 600 bills introduced each session, CMS serves as a trusted advocate at the statehouse .
Key advocacy priorities include:
Prior authorization reform — CMS has successfully championed laws extending commercial health plan prior auth approvals, ensuring greater transparency, and removing prior auth burdens for Medicaid patients with serious mental illness .
Scope of practice — CMS opposes efforts that inappropriately expand scope for non-physician providers, including successfully killing bills that would have empowered naturopaths to prescribe most schedule III-V medications .
Stable liability climate — CMS secured passage of HB24-1472, preserving liability stability by updating non-economic damages caps, and blocked attempts to expand deceptive trade practice suits against physicians .
Physician wellbeing — CMS advocacy drove the Colorado Medical Board to ensure a robust, confidential peer assistance program, and helped champion a bill removing problematic mental health questions from licensing applications .
Practice viability — CMS helped pass a bill prohibiting non-compete clauses in physician employment contracts, ensuring providers can inform patients about their continued practice and right to choose their provider .
CMS is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and provides high-quality CME activities that promote lifelong learning and professional growth for physicians and health care teams . The CME program addresses practice gaps in patient safety, access to care, and significant public health concerns .
CMS regularly hosts CME webinars and educational events, including recent sessions on:
Serious Illness Conversations — Tools, Frameworks and Case Studies (recorded Aug. 26, members-only)
Vaccine Communication Beyond Primary Care — What Every Clinician Should Know (recorded March 2, 2026)
Obesity Care Beyond BMI — recorded Jan. 15, 2026
Prior Authorization Changes — What Is New and Improved For Your Practice
Physicians' Ethical Obligations for Public Advocacy — recorded Nov. 4, 2025
CMS also offers webinars on financial planning, including Student Loan Strategies for Physicians and Long-Term Care Planning Benefit .
CMS hosts an Annual Meeting bringing physicians from across Colorado together for connection, education, and policy discussions. The 2026 CMS Annual Meeting will be held Sept. 18–20, 2026 at The Lodge at Vail, designed to give physicians time to reconnect, recharge, and refocus in one of Colorado's most iconic mountain communities .
CMS launched Doc2Doc Wellbeing Consulting in March 2023, providing all Colorado physicians and medical students with three free, confidential, pre-clinical peer wellbeing consultation sessions. Consultations are available via phone or video with a physician trained in psychiatry .
CMS also partners with the Colorado Physician Health Program (CPHP), a nonprofit providing confidential peer assistance services for licensed physicians and physician assistants. CPHP contributes to the "Wellness Corner" of Colorado Medicine, CMS's quarterly publication reaching more than 8,000 medical professionals .
Format: CMS offers a hybrid mix of virtual and in-person programming. CME webinars are primarily virtual, while the Annual Meeting and legislative advocacy events are held in-person across Colorado .
Audience: CMS serves medical students, residents, fellows, and practicing physicians. Students receive complimentary membership and paid AMA dues. Practicing physicians access advocacy, CME, practice resources, and wellbeing programs .
Website: For membership, advocacy, CME, or general inquiries, visit cms.org.