SUMMARY

Measuring the outcomes of medical education is increasingly important in Continuing Medical Education (CME) and cannot be ignored by the CME provider or industry sponsor. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) requires the provider to evaluate the effectiveness of its CME activities in meeting identified educational needs. In addition, measuring the effectiveness of a particular program is crucial to matching the right program to participant needs and to future program design for the provider, and evaluating the money spent for the sponsor.

This article summarizes a presentation by Sharyn Lee, CEO and cofounder of Medical Educational Broadcast Network (MEBN), a medical education communications and publishing company, who spoke on outcomes-based CME and the importance of selecting the best assessment tool at a recent Medical Education Congress.

Topic headings include::

• Adult Learning
• Outcomes-based CME
• Outcomes Based on Needs
• Selecting an Appropriate Assessment Measure
• Commitment to Change (CTC)
• CTC and Effective Learning Methods
• Thinking Differently about the Future
• Sharyn Lee's Top Ten List for Redesigning CME to Improve Desired Outcomes!