Physicians are both lifelong learners and teachers

AMA Leader Commentary. By By John C. Nelson MD, MPH, Feb. 21, 2005.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from AMA President John C. Nelson, MD, MPH.

The AMA's Principles of Medical Ethics make it clear that physicians should "continue to study" and have a "commitment to medical education." These expectations are not new.

Teaching the next generation of physicians is in the Hippocratic Oath, and lifelong learning is a core part of many definitions of professionalism.

The concepts of the physician as learner and teacher have profound implications for what we do every day. They commit us to a lifetime of effort. But these activities are not ends in themselves. They are not just for us. They are important because they benefit our patients.

Supporting the physician as learner always has been a core value of the American Medical Association.

While some activity occurred during the first part of the 20th century, the commitment to continuing physician professional development took concrete form with the 1952-55 Council on Medical Education survey of "Postgraduate (Continuing) Medical Education in the United States." It was the first national look at the CME enterprise.

The 1955 Vollan report that resulted from the survey called for accreditation of continuing education programs. A formal continuing medical education advisory committee was formed at the AMA soon after and began the process of developing a workable accreditation system.

After a period of pilot-testing, the Council on Medical Education began to approve providers of continuing medical education in 1967. Eventually, the AMA joined with other organizations to form what is now the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education,

To complement the accreditation system, the AMA introduced the Physician's Recognition Award in 1968. The PRA recognizes a physician's participation in continuing medical education and is used by 28 state licensing boards and many hospitals as evidence of CME participation.