Neuroscientists want continuing medical education
Continuing medical education (CME) is strongly supported by the European community of central nervous system (CNS) physicians, according to a survey recently carried out by the European accreditation committee for CME In CNS medicine as part of an EU-funded pilot project. The project, funded through the Commission's Leonardo da Vinci programme, gathered data from a survey of the delegates at this year's CINP congress for neuropsychopharmacology in Brussels. 'Over 90 per cent of the delegates interviewed said that CME activities updated their professional skills, improving their ability to treat and manage patients,' reports the EAC. 'Two thirds of these respondents felt that their professional performance was highly affected [and] nearly 80 per cent ...also believed that CME activities improved their communication skills with patients.' The CME will announce the project's continuation in Munich at the European College of Neuropyschopharmacology congress between 9 and 13 September, during which delegates will be asked to contribute to the survey. The Community-funded pilot project aims to: - assess CME systems in Europe; - establish a system of quality control for CME in CNS medicine across Europe; - use and validate these systems of quality control in major European congresses in CNS medicine; - investigate the use of consumer feedback in assessing the quality of CME educational programmes; - investigate the educational role of accredited enduring materials in Europe; - research the usefulness of a network of assessors for cross-national meetings in Europe; - disseminate the results to help promote CME in CNS medicine in Europe.