Continuing Medical Education (CME) was the number-one cause for respondents to make changes to their medical practice and ranked as the most effective method for improving patient care
TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Education Group, a division of Ultimate Medical Academy, has released results for the 2020 Continuing Medical Education Survey. The 18-question survey’s results provide illuminating data to support the importance of Continuing Medical Education (CME) and highlight respondent’s desire to return to in-person training opportunities once Covid-19 social distancing restrictions are lifted.
Continuing Medical Education (CME) was the number-one cause for respondents to make changes to their own medical practice, with 95 percent incorporating the information and practices learned in CME programming into their daily activities. Respondents also ranked CME as the most effective method for improving their patient care, above colleagues, journal articles and medical science liaison visits.
“We know that providing information on new research and treatment options is critical to the continued success of healthcare practitioners,” said Global Education Group’s Vice President of Education Andrea Funk. “However, we were very interested to see the powerful impact that CME has on the choices providers make in their own practice and the importance to the way they approach patient care.”
While some state health boards require licensed healthcare practitioners to complete ongoing CME, others do not, and it is up to these practitioners to pursue CME on their own. However, even though there is not a nation-wide mandate for ongoing educational engagements, more than half of survey respondents indicated they regularly participate in live (58.0%) or on-demand (62.6%) webcasts/webinars, and many also regularly participate in live multi-day conferences (42.6%) and local or regional meetings (47.6%), when available.
The 2020 survey was distributed in June and July to more than 1,700 healthcare practitioners across the United States to get a sense of the importance of CME to practitioners nationwide, as well as provide insights to CME during a global health crisis.
“This year’s survey presented a unique opportunity to examine the impacts of Covid-19 and social distancing on educational formats and time available for courses,” said Global Education Group’s Vice President of Education Strategy John McCormick. “While past data has indicated the efficacy of in-person instruction, the survey results show practitioners are eager to get back in the classroom and have an in-person learning experience.”
As the pandemic has healthcare providers working differently, most respondents (73.4%) noted that they could only spend a maximum of two hours per day on their CME efforts. As educators continue to create opportunities for learning, it will be important to consider the desires and constraints expressed by health providers.
To learn more about Global Education Group, a division of Ultimate Medical Academy, visit www.globaleducationgorup.com or click here to request a copy of the 2020 Continuing Medical Education Survey.
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About Ultimate Medical Academy: The need for skilled healthcare workers in the United States is critical and continues to grow. Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is an accredited, nonprofit educational institution that helps to meet that need by equipping and empowering students to do vital work at the heart of healthcare. In addition to offering diploma and degree programs, UMA works closely with healthcare companies to connect students directly to job opportunities.
Founded in 1994 and based in Tampa, Florida, UMA offers hands-on learning at its main campus in Clearwater, Florida as well as content-rich, interactive programs through its online campus. The institution supports students through every step of their journey with access to academic support, interview and resume coaching, job search assistance, technical support and more.
UMA has more than 63,000 alumni and 14,000 students nationwide. The institution also provides certified continuing medical education (CME) through ongoing training and professional development opportunities to more than 30,000 physicians, nurses and other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.
UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES, www.ABHES.org) and is also accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The continuing medical education programs are individually accredited and are not included within the institution’s grant of accreditation from ABHES. Learn more by visiting www.ultimatemedical.edu.
About Global Education Group: Since 2003, Global Education Group has harnessed the power of partnership to provide effective and impactful continuing medical education (CME) programming to nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, dieticians and dentists. Global’s mission is to design, implement, manage, and measure the healthcare effect of continuing education initiatives that promote clinical competence and performance improvement. Global Education Group takes its continuing education leadership role seriously and believes that a consistent focus on quality CME options ultimately will improve the quality of care for patients.
Global is a founding member of the North American Association of Medical Education and Communications Companies (NAMECC) and The CME Coalition, a Washington, D.C. based CME advocacy group. Global is Accredited with Commendation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME; www.accme.org) to provide CME for physicians. The ACCME decision places Global among a distinguished group of providers that demonstrate excellence across the twenty-two CME accreditation criteria and qualifies Global for a six-year accreditation term. Global also holds six additional accreditations to certify education for the entire spectrum of healthcare professionals, including nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, dentists, and dieticians. Learn more by visiting https://globaleducationgroup.com/.
Crystal L. Lauderdale Ultimate Medical Academy [email protected]