What is Continuing Medical Education (CME)?

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has published the following:

Definition of CME

1982-B-03 The Definition of Continuing Medical Education

Continuing Medical Education (CME) consists of educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. The content of CME is that body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of health care to the public.

The broad definition of CME, such as the one found above, recognizes that all continuing educational activities, which assist physicians in carrying out their professional responsibilities more effectively and efficiently, are CME. A course in management would be appropriate CME for physicians responsible for managing a health care facility; a course in educational methodology would be appropriate CME for physicians teaching in a medical school; a course in practice management would be appropriate for practitioners interested in providing better service to patients.

Not all continuing educational activities in which physicians may engage, however, are CME. Physicians may participate in worthwhile continuing educational activities, which are not related directly to their professional work, but these activities are not CME. Continuing educational activities, which respond to a physician's non-professional need or interest, such as personal financial planning, and appreciation of literature or music, are not CME. (amended 11/99)

How can I find my state's CME requirements?

An updated table of state-by-state CME requirements is maintained by the AMA. For detailed information, please visit http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2640.html.

How are CME hours calculated?

CME is designated on an hour-for-hour basis, i.e., for every hour you spend in a CME activity, you receive one (1) hour of CME credit.

Because people complete self-study activities (e.g., journal-based CME, self-tests, computer-based activities, video or audio tapes, etc.) at their own pace, calculating CME hours can create a dilemma for the activity's sponsor. The sponsor of an enduring material usually estimates the time the average physician would take to complete the activity. This estimate becomes the designated maximum amount of CME credit for the activity. The individual physician is required to keep track of the time spent on the activity and claim only the number of hours he or she actually spent on the activity.