The faculty and continuing medical education: an attitude study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Continuing Medical Education (CME)

Background:

• Continuing Medical Education (CME) is crucial for healthcare professionals.
• Mandatory CME regulations increase physician demand for educational programs.
• U.S. medical schools face challenges in providing adequate CME due to faculty limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the importance of faculty reward systems for Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs.
• To understand faculty motivations for participating in CME activities.
• To identify barriers to faculty engagement in university-based CME.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to faculty members by the University of Washington Division of Continuing Medical Education.
• The survey assessed the perceived importance of a faculty reward system for CME participation.
• Data was collected on faculty teaching preferences and motivational factors.

Main Results:

• Faculty members are twice as likely to teach CME programs outside their university system compared to within.
• Faculty advancement was identified as the primary motivator for participating in CME programs by non-professor ranked respondents.
• Participation in CME is rarely considered in university promotion and tenure evaluations.

Conclusions:

• Existing faculty reward systems are insufficient to support Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs.
• Medical schools must develop robust incentive structures to encourage faculty involvement in CME.
• Implementing adequate faculty incentives is imperative for medical schools to fulfill their role in professional continuing education.