Philosophical considerations in health professions continuing education

Health professions continuing education is in a state of sprawling disarray. Much of this chaos can be attributed to a lack of clarity regarding its goals and purposes. A historical-philosophical analysis of the aims of continuing education for the health professions provides the basis for clarifying its major goal orientations. Application of this paradigm to practice helps explain underlying variations in the values, beliefs and premises currently characterizing health professions continuing education and can provide sound direction to those responsible for programmatic and policy-making decisions.