Medical professionals take continuing education courses in their field.
Medical professionals take continuing medical education (CME) classes to maintain their knowledge and skills. Providers of CME programs can obtain certified continuing medical education accreditation for their programs. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the National Commission for Certification of CME Professionals, Inc., are two national organizations offering certification to promote quality standards for CME programs and instructors.
ACCME
The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) sets standards for CME lectures, meetings and published materials such as CD-ROMs, audio CDs and DVDs. Its certification is voluntary for CME professionals. The costs of the certification varies according to the educational activity and the number of credit hours, participants and faculty involved in the program.
NCCME
The National Commission for Certification of CME Professionals, Inc. (NCCME) offers a program for CME instructors who wish to become nationally certified. It is a voluntary program. NCCME offers its examination four times a year at about 200 sites in the United States and Canada.
State Programs
Some state medical societies offer their own certification programs for CME professionals. For example, the Florida Medical Association (FMA) offers a certification program for CME professionals working in Florida. The FMA program is recognized by the ACCME. The Medical Society of the State of New York is another example of a state program under the ACCME. State CME certification programs are not national -- they only provide accreditation for CMEs offered within the state.
Tags: Accreditation Council, Accreditation Council Continuing, Certification Professionals, certification programs, Commission Certification
