The American Medical Association (AMA) recently discussed a number of medical education initiatives and announcements in their summer 2010 newsletter. Topics covered included changes to the AMA PRA credit system and a guide to medical education in the teaching hospital.
New Rules for AMA PRA
The new rules for the AMA Physician Recognition Award (PRA) credit system will be effective for all accredited continuing medical education (CME) providers starting July 1, 2011; information is now available online. The AMA will be providing webinars for CME providers to learn more about the changes on the following dates:
October 6, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CDT
October 26, 1–2:30 p.m. CDT
November 4, 2–3:30 p.m. CDT
Each presentation will include opportunities for Q/A with faculty members from the AMA. Register online today. Information will also be presented at the following meetings:
Illinois Alliance for CME Fall Conference (October 1, 2010)
Alliance for CME Annual Conference (January 26–29, 2011)
Association for Hospital Medical Education Educational Institute (April 15, 2011)
AMA staff is available to present information at State Medical Society/CME provider meetings over the coming months. Providers can contact AMA staff to arrange for a presentation by calling (312) 464-4668.
Actions by AMA House of Delegates
The AMA Council on Medical Education Report 12—Regulation of Continuing Medical Education Content, included the following provisions:
- The AMA reaffirms Policy H-300.953, “Content Specific CME Mandated for Licensure.”
- The AMA reaffirms Policy H-300.994, “Support for Voluntary Continuing Medical Education.”
The AMA also recommended that organizations with responsibilities for patient care and patient safety request physicians to engage in content-specific educational activities only when there is a reasonable expectation that the CME intervention will be appropriate for the physician and effective in improving patient care or increasing patient safety in the context of the physicians’ practice.
On Resolution 310—Suggested Revision in ACCME Evaluations, the AMA strongly encouraged the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to recognize the value of gaining knowledge outside a physician’s specialty and change the activity evaluation to reflect this.
Guide to Medical Education in the Teaching Hospital
The 4th edition of the Guide to Medical Education in the Teaching Hospital by the Association for Hospital Medical Education (AHME) provides an overview of topics across the medical education continuum that affect hospital medical education. Sixty-two authors contributed 35 chapters to the Guide, which is both a primer for the day-to-day challenges of delivering quality medical education and meeting accreditation standards and an overview of the current status and the future of medical education in the teaching hospital. Authors include thought leaders from the ACGME, ACCME, AMA and the AAMC, along with many others in the field.
Visit the AHME website for ordering information.