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| Year : 2011 | Volume
: 57
| Issue : 2 | Page : 177-178 |
Continuing medical education
SV Parulekar
Professor and Head of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Seth G.S. Medical College & K.E.M. Hospital, Mumbai, India
| Date of Web Publication | 4-Jun-2011 |
Correspondence Address:
S V Parulekar
Professor and Head of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Seth G.S. Medical College & K.E.M. Hospital, Mumbai
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0022-3859.81862
How to cite this article:
Parulekar S V. Continuing medical education. J Postgrad Med 2011;57:177-8 |
Sir,
Continuing education is necessary in all professions, not only in medicine. But, it is more important in medicine because it is an ever-changing science, and what was true yesterday may not be true anymore today. Unless properly educated, one may end up giving suboptimal, if not wrong, treatment to one's patients. A good doctor understands this and keeps himself up to date by reading journals, new books and newer editions of old books, communicating with colleagues at work place and in conferences and workshops. However, all doctors are not necessarily so devoted. Hence, the Medical Council had to make continuing medical education (CME) compulsory for all doctors.
The Central Government of India has notified the new Ethics regulations in the Gazette of India on April 16, 2002, requiring that "A Physician should participate in professional meetings as part of Continuing Medical Education Programmes, for at least 30 hours every five years, organized by reputed professional academic bodies or any other authorized organizations." [1] A number of options are available for getting these credits, such as attending conferences, workshops, and CME programs conducted by bodies accredited by the medical council, presenting papers or posters in these conferences, participating as faculty in these programs, publishing scientific papers in indexed medical journals, writing letters to editors of indexed medical journals, and writing a chapter published in a text book or update book published by professional bodies. It is true that these activities do add to one's professional knowledge. But, I have some reservation about it. The scope of such CME is not planned. One can get the credits in a variety of ways. That means, the same score can be reached by different permutations and combinations of the given variables. In a period of five years, there are scientific advances in each specialty, which the other specialists need to become aware of. So, there is a need for planning of a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses progress in all the basic subjects. In addition, there is a need for CME on progress in the concerned specialty. Such a course should be made available by medical colleges with postgraduate courses. Only then, true continued medical education will take place. Writing scientific papers and attending conferences may be given additional credit. Discoveries and inventions should be given special credit. Such a system is more likely to bring out the best in our doctors and truly improve the treatment available to our patients.
| :: References | |  |
| 1. | Mmcmumbai.com [homepage on the Internet]. Mumbai; Maharashtra Medical Council. Available from: http://www.mmcmumbai.com/Main.htm. [Last accessed on 2010 Decemeber 16] 
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