Content of continuing education courses in obstetrics and gynecology

The objective of this study was to determine the emphases of continuing medical education courses in obstetrics and gynecology. Eighty programs for obstetricians and gynecologists were evaluated for location, accreditation, sponsorship, cost, faculty composition, teaching methods, and curriculum content. The programs' curricula were compared through classification of courses and individual topic presentations as emphasizing primary care, maternal-fetal medicine, gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, introduction of new technology, or general review. All 80 programs were in acceptable locations and had valid accreditation. Universities, hospitals, industrial corporations, and professional organizations were among the programs' sponsors. Tuition costs per credit hour averaged $46.48 and ranged from $4.64-238.09; programs emphasizing new technology cost the most. Ninety percent of the programs' 880 faculty had medical school affiliations. Of the teaching methods, lectures accounted for 77.9%, laboratory instruction 9.1%, panel discussions 7.0%, workshops 4.9%, and other methods 1.0%. The total 1592 credit hours consisted of 563 in primary care, 181 in maternal-fetal medicine, 99.5 in gynecologic oncology, 122.5 in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and 626 in introduction of new technology. Although these programs were diversified, many emphasized the introduction of new technology, which does not enhance the designation of the specialty as "primary care."