Educación Médica (Jan 2015)
Continuing Professional Development for doctors, certification, licensure and quality improvement. A model to follow?
Abstract
This article briefly describes the history of formal CME/CPD in the US and the significant work that has developed into major advances in the field of CME, including innovative learning formats by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association and the American Osteopathic Association as the three organizations that own the three major CME credit systems. The description of these advances include the evolution, although not yet completed, from a time metric to a value metric as the way to quantify involvement in CME on the part of physicians. It also briefly describes how the credit systems have evolved from accepting participation to requiring a higher level of achievement or active involvement in the activity in order to receive CME credit. It then highlights Performance Improvement CME as one of the learning formats recognized for CME credit. Each of the three CME credit systems offers multiple ways for physicians to earn CME credit and many, but not all, can be found in all three of them. As an example, the list of different ways to receive credit under the AMA CME credit system is provided. The article goes on to describe how the specialty certification philosophy has evolved, using the American Boards of Medical Specialties (ABMS) as an example, from a lifetime certificate for most specialties to an ongoing engagement with educational activities and quality improvement efforts to maintain certification. The role that CME/CPD plays in that philosophy is also described. It then discusses the current licensing system in the US, the changes that have been proposed by the Federation of Medical Boards and the possible role of CME/CPD in this new framework as well. The article concludes with a reference to the research evidence in support of the effectiveness of CME/CPD and the impact that Continuous Quality Improvement and Performance Improvement have had on CME/CPD, on the new program to maintain specialty certification and on the proposed new licensure framework, and how they all interact.
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