Continuing Medical Education

Abstract

Continuing medical education (CME) is an essential element of state-of-the-art medical practice. As it is structured today in most countries, CME must guarantee its own quality and independence. There should therefore be an independent professional body at the national level which is responsible for assessing and guaranteeing both quality and independence. This body will also have to oversee the participation of medical specialists in CME. A system of credits expresses the professional value of CME activities. Each activity is credited with a score, to be awarded to the participating specialist. CME should remain an ethical obligation that is subject to the disciplinary authority of the profession itself. It should be both an individual and collective obligation; in order to promote it and make it effective, each EM member state must provide the means of making CME available to all physicians. For the above reasons, CME is a strategic way to improve the quality of the health system. (Clinical_Management)