[Delayed evaluation of continuous medical education]

To analyse the results of delayed evaluation of European teaching sessions using a questionnaire provided by the French College of Anaesthesiologists.

Open evaluation.

Questionnaires were completed 3-6 months after European courses provided in November-December 1999.

The types of professional exercise and the medical practice as well as the theme of the courses were pointed out. The evaluation included six items noted from 1 to 10: usefulness of the abstract book, discussion with colleagues, discussion with a manager, decision to modify medical practice, application of that decision, own objectives fulfilled. The global mean score for each item was calculated. Results were compared according to the professional mode of exercise and the theme of the course.

5/7 centres provided information. 91/239 questionnaires were returned to the organizers. The participants were working in different structures (private clinic: 25, university hospital: 31, general hospital: 27, PSPH: 8). The main exercise was anaesthesiology (75/77 answers). Means scores affected to the different items were around 7 for all but one of them. The mean score concerning discussion with a manager was significantly decreased to 3.5 +/- 3.2. Decision to modify their own practise was higher in private clinics compared to PSPH. The abstract book was more consulted after the first course (respiration and thorax).

3-6 months following the FEEA courses the participants thought to have fulfil their objectives and declared to have modify their medical practise. The lack of discussion with a manager should be analysed.