Keeping Integrative Medicine Continuing Medical Education on the Cutting Edge – and Compliant
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Melinda Ring, Iman Majd, and Darshan H. Mehta. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 11 March 2020.
Osher Collaborative Forum: Outlooks, Opinions and Opportunities
This is the seventh column of the JACM/Osher Collaborative partnership.
Click here to read the full article.
Melinda Ring, MD, Northwestern University
Iman Majd, MD, LAc, University of Washington
Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH, Harvard University
Excerpt:
“A physician’s educational journey is maintained as a lifelong learning process; updating one’s knowledge and skills is essential to improve patient care. This ongoing learning process has been operationalized for medical doctors through continuing medical education (CME). The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the agency that oversees this process in the United States, is giving increased attention to ensure that content is valid, evidence based, and not influenced by commercial interests. In this column, we explore the present tensions and opportunities as the field of integrative medicine (IM) has witnessed growing scrutiny by the ACCME in recent years. In addition, we review the governance of CME in the United States and how proposed ACCME policies impact IM CME offerings. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for IM educators to consider to ensure that physicians attending these programs receive the credits needed to maintain licensure while also improving clinical practice. While this commentary focuses on U.S. based policies for physician CME, we believe that some lessons apply to all health care providers as it relates to their continuing professional education in integrative products, practices, and practitioners.”