Our Mission

Purpose

The purpose of the CME Program at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine is to provide needs-based education for physicians and health care providers to improve knowledge, competence and performance and enable the optimum provision of health care.

Target Audience

The target audience is activity specific and may include physicians, scientists, residents, medical students, pharmacists, nurses, psychologists, therapists and other health professionals located locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Content Area

The content of CME is the body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine and the provision of health care to the public (AMA House of Delegates #300.988).

Types of Activities

UC San Diego CME plans activities that utilize adult education principles in multiple formats specific to educational needs and individualized learning styles. These include basic and clinical science activities, practice management activities, skills-based training courses, remedial activities, home-study and internet education, grand rounds/case conferences, mini-residencies and point of care and performance improvement activities.

Expected Results

The expected results of our program are to improve knowledge, competence and performance of our learners and to this end, enable the optimum provision of health care.

Evaluation and outcomes are measured by many methods to determine if content is relevant, if educational needs and objectives are met and whether participants' knowledge, competence, or performance has improved. Content and objectives are evaluated by physicians on the CME Advisory Committee, expert faculty, peer review and through participant evaluations. Improvements in participant’s knowledge, competence and performance are measured by self-assessments, pre/post tests, case studies, audience response system, focus groups, direct observation, comparison with quality assurance data, etc.  Standardized evaluation measures are used across all CME activities to allow an annual program based analysis to improve overall educational planning, evaluation and outcomes.

UC San Diego CME employs numerous strategies to achieve our educational mission including:

  • employing additional strategies to support physician learning and change (self-assessments, pre/post tests, reminders, feedback);
  • participation in a system-wide, process-based quality improvement platform;
  • collaboration with stake-holders who support our mission, including hospital based quality assurance, medical societies, federal and state organizations, advocacy groups, medical schools and other health organizations;
  • research and practical application of current adult education principles and CME literature;
  • supporting members of our target audience in point of care learning and specific practice improvements;
  • participation in national organizations committed to improving CME.