Continuing Medical Education (CME)

ACCREDITATION OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME)

In the ever dynamic sphere of medical sciences there is no end to learning for a doctor, which is in essence the concept of Continuing Medical Education (CME). As we are aware that tremendous advances are taking place in the field of medical sciences which are continuously changing the concept and approach to the management of various diseases. The rapid pace of these advances makes it mandatory for doctors to keep themselves updated, so that they may apply these advances to their patient’s well being and improve the quality of medical care to the patients. A doctor must always strive to enhance his/her competence and knowledge by keeping abreast with the latest developments in the field.

The CeThe Central Government has notified Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Ethics) Regulation in the Gazette of India on April 6 2002 Rule 1. Section 2.3 provides that ‘A Physician should participate in professional meetings as part of Continuing Medical Education programme for at least 30 hours every five years, organized by reputed professional academic bodies or any other authorized organizations. The compliance of this requirement shall be informed regularly to MCI or State Medical Council as the case may be’. Since above provisions have been made mandatory, it has become necessary for the R.M.C to consider the whole matter and issue necessary guidelines for its implementation. It has also become necessary to accredit the CME programmes conducted by identified organizations so that valid certificates of attendance at the CME’s may be issued.

CME programmes conducted by various organizations through Conferences, Workshops, Seminars or CME’s have not been accredited so far in Rajasthan, hence R.M.C offers to accredit them for promotion of these activities.

ORGANIZATIONS CONDUCTING CONFERENCES / WORK SHOPS/ SEMINARS / C.M.E.’s ELIGIBLE FOR ACCREDITATION

The Rajasthan Medical Council shall consider the applications for accreditation of following organizations for holding CME programmes

        1.All recognized Medical Colleges.

        2.Indian Medical Association, their State Chapters

        3.Specialist Associations (only National level Associations or their State Chapters).

        4.All recognized Postgraduate Medical Institutions.

       5. Central Government and State Government Hospitals (including districts Hospital) and training centers in the field of health including Ministry of Health and FW, Defense, Railways etc.

        6.Organizations who arrange International Conferences /CMEs .

        7.Organizations who arrange National Conferences /CMEs .

        8.State level conferences of National Organizations.

       9.Professional bodies of repute, functional at district level and at the state level eg. Physician Forum/Surgeons Forum/Doctors Forum etc. in their areas /specialties and super specialties.

                                      MODALITIES FOR ACCREDITATION

Various Organizations / Bodies conducting CME Programmes may approach the Rajasthan Medical Council for accreditation.

On receipt of such request, Rajasthan Medical Council shall consider the following factors for granting accreditation to the CME Programmes and shall award credit hours.

1.CME Programmes meant for graduate doctors should have a brief session on national health programmes on relevant subjects along with adequate exposure to the recent advances, changing modalities of treatment, adequate exposure of consumer protection, medical insurance laws, record keeping and medical audit etc.

2.The organization should have all the requisites and demonstrated abilities to plan and implement CME Programmes to cover the targeted group (to be specified as General Practitioners, Specialists, Medical Teachers and Vertical National Health Programme Officials etc.

3.The organization shall provide the schedule and transcripts of each CME activity.

4.Organization should make arrangements for advance publicity to the targeted group of participants.

5.The methodology of feed back evaluation programme should be intimated in advance.

6.Whether the transcript of each CME programme is considered to be relevant to the updating of the knowledge of the medical practitioners by way of latest medical advances, National Health Programmes, and the local needs of the area/zone/State.

7.Whether resource personnel are experienced enough for providing the CME programmes.

8.Whether arrangements are available for keeping record of participants along with their registration numbers, complete addresses and the number of credit hours of participation.

9.Whether the organization has a programme of evaluation of CME to indicate the benefits to the patients.

10.Brief report of CME (hard copy and soft copy) along with the list of delegates, their registration numbers shall be sent to Rajasthan Medical Council immediately after the CME programme.

GUIDELINE FOR C.M.E. ACCREDITATION

1.Accreditation/Credit hours to be awarded will be the sole discretion of the Rajasthan Medical Council depending upon subject matter, Status of the speaker, Quality of the papers to be presented in the C.M.E./Conference.

2.Any professional organization or body or institution making to hold the C.M.E should apply for accreditation to the Rajasthan Medical Council. The council on verifying the credentials of the organization will give certificate of accreditations to the concerned bodies to hold the CME’s.

3.The office bearers of the Association/Organization would apply to the Rajasthan Medial Council on the designed application form. The application should be accompanied by the complete information about the C.M.E./Conference including the names, designation of the speakers and subject of speech.

4.In the application form sent to the Rajasthan Medical Council the minimum duration given to each speaker may also be mentioned along with topic of the lecture while applying for the credit hours.

5.The organizing body will inform the Rajasthan Medical Council, date of C.M.E. at least one month in advance. The Council may send observer to the CME meetings.

6.Credit hours will be based on the composition of the faculty participation, quality contents of the subject matter.

7.Attendance Certificate of the CME issued to the delegates should contain the credit hours awarded to them along with reference number of Rajasthan Medical Council in this regard. The proposed format of the Certificate to be issued to the delegates by the organizing body has been provided on the RMC website for ready reference.

8.Care should be taken that certificates should not be issued on the first day of the CME/Conference at the time of registration. The certificates may be awarded on the last day.

9.Associations/Organization will be duty bound to send the feedback of the delegates and the list of delegates who have attended the CME/Conference to the Council. A separate list for the delegates belonging to the States of Rajasthan and the delegates from the other states may be submitted to the Rajasthan Medical Council along with their registration numbers of their respective states.

10.In case it is found that the issued certificate is false one, then the issuing Association/Organization will be debarred for future accreditation.

GUIDELINES FOR CREDIT HOURS

As per MCI letter no. MCI-Academics/2013/30661 Date 29/08/2013 the Academic Council recommended that for a Medical College teacher attending a Conference / CME / Programme / Workshop, of minimum 08 hours duration / day, the credit hours to be awarded are as under:

03 credit hours / day / speaker

02 credit hours / day / Participant

This will be effected from 01.02.2014.

CONTINUED MEDICAL EDUCATION (C.M.E.) WHICH WILL NOT BE ACCREDITED

1.The C.M.E.’s organized by a drug/equipment company for promotion of the drugs/ equipments will not be entertained/considered.

2.C.M.E.’s organized by the individual Nursing Homes/Hospitals/ persons for marketing purpose shall not be credited.

3.C.M.E. organized for self promotion/advertisement shall not be credited.

4.Credit hours will not be given to live operative workshop performed by foreign faculties unless they obtain provisional registration from MCI.

5.Any other manner showing conflict of interests.