CME Committee

Guidelines

Introduction

Participation in CME is expected if the practitioner is to demonstrate continuing fitness to practice. A specialist who does not participate in any form of CME can not lose his/her status as a specialist, but must understand that he/she may be personally disadvantaged in other ways.

The content of CME for the specialist has multiple aspects: the accumulation of scientific knowledge by:

• Reading the literature and audio-visual media.

• Attendance at courses and seminars.

• Attendance at national and international meetings.

• Publication of scientific papers.

• Organisation of meetings, congresses, workshops etc.
The quality of CME contents must be controlled by the profession, by means of committees, scientific societies and universities or equivalent centres of each country.
A system of assessment by awarding credit points should be established in each country.
The EACCME/EBO requires 250 credits for a 5 year-period.

Structure of CME:

It is necessary that each member state should have a committee of CME that works in accordance with EBO-CME and EACCME which duty would be:

To define requirements for CME in the own country in accordance with EACCME and EBO-CME.
To create guidelines for CME in the own country.
To award each CME activity with credit points.
Supervision of CME activities
Relations with the European bodies for CME
Counselling of ophthalmologists in CME matters

CME Credit System

Principle 1 hour = 1 credit point

1.	Reading credits: 5 points max. per year Medical and scientific literature. It is recommended to read authorised medical literature at least 2 hours a week.
2.	External credits: Formally planned interactive CME Planned structured CME activities offered by approved CME providers (e.g. ProVision) 1 point/hour. Teleconferences 1 point/hour Congresses and courses, workshops, wetlabs etc. 1 point/hour, max. 6 points/day Publication of a paper in a peer-reviewed journal 5 points, max. 6 points/year Presentation of a paper at a recognised CME activity 5 points, max. 10 points/year Presentation of a poster 5 points, max. 10 points/year Organisation of congresses, meetings, workshops etc. 5 points/day, max. 10 points/year
3.	Internal credits: Personal learning activities Consultation with peers and medical experts Small group discussions Journal club activities Teaching healthcare professionals other than doctors Individual studies in an approved institution for a supplementary competence 1 point/hour, max. 5 points/day Local hospital educational activity 2 points/hour, max. 10 points/year
4.	Participation in congresses, sessions and courses in another medical speciality than ophthalmology can be recognized up to 20% of the total amount.
5.	Commercial supported activity is only recognized if the program is under the responsibility of the CME committee of the country and approved by EACCMEEBO-CME committee.
6.	e-learning is being introduced during 2009 by a common EACCME platform

Evaluation and Quality Control of CME
The supervision of CME and of the quality of the CME providers is a national duty.

The EBO-CME committee will in accordance with EACCME, supervise the quality of international meetings as well as the quality of CME providers in order to evaluate and accredit the accurate value of CME points.

Final Conclusions
Credits in excess of the required 250 points are indicative of laudatory CME activities. However they will not be carried forward in the following 5-year period.

Ophthalmologists who fail to achieve 250 credits in 5 years should receive counselling from their local CME committee.

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