A Three-part Analysis of Continuing Medical Education

Abstract

Physicians, medical educators, and health care systems all share responsibility for the effectiveness of continuing medical education (CME) activities. Because CME has been criticized as being incapable of supporting physician competency to provide good health care, the researcher uses Gramsci’s theory of “cultural hegemony” to explain why some medical educators and some critics of CME may not understand how cultural hegemony can obscure stakeholders’ responsibilities for effective CME. The researcher also sought to determine what evidence exists to support a claim of causality such that physicians’ participation in a CME activity on antiretroviral therapy (ART) will improve physicians’ practice when prescribing ART and will subsequently improve patients’ health outcomes. After conducting a scoping review of the literature, the researcher found no published peer-reviewed evidence that supports a claim of causality that physician participation in a CME activity on ART will improve the practice of physicians who prescribe ART and will subsequently improve health outcomes for the HIV-infected patients they treat. Lastly, the researcher sought to determine the origin of criteria for a credential offered by the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), determine the kinds of physician competencies the AAHIVM’s 16-module Core Curriculum supports, and the extent to which the AAHIVM’s Core Curriculum aligns with CME criteria for the credential.