Participation in continuing medical education of general practitioners in New Zealand

Continuing professional education has become increasingly recognized as an essential element of a professional's working life. Because participation in continuing education is usually on a voluntary basis, it is essential that organizers of continuing education understand the patterns of participation among their prospective clientele. Such an understanding can help identify areas of deficiency in program provisions as well as indicate possible ways of rectifying them. The study reported here surveyed approximately one-third of all general practitioners in New Zealand on their present participation in continuing medical education (CME), their attitudes toward continuing learning, and their specific preferences for future CME programs. Although overall rates of CME participation are very high, there are nonetheless significant variations in the amount of continuing education that general practitioners undertake. The rate of CME participation appears to be linked with the general practitioner's degree of involvement in a wide range of professional activities, and those general practitioners who are only minimally involved have lower rates of CME participation.