Introduction to Online CMEIntroduction to Online CME

• Bernard M Sklar, M.D., M.S.Bernard M Sklar, M.D., M.S.

• bersklar@netcantina.combersklar@netcantina.com

• February 2003February 2003

What is Online CME?What is Online CME?

• Online CME is a way to earn CME Online CME is a way to earn CME credits, over the Internet, using your credits, over the Internet, using your computer, from home or officecomputer, from home or office

What do I need to get What do I need to get Started?Started?

• A computerA computer

• Internet connection (faster is better)Internet connection (faster is better)

• Speakers connected to computerSpeakers connected to computer

• Printer connected to computerPrinter connected to computer

What are the types of What are the types of instruction I may find in Online instruction I may find in Online

CME?CME?• Simple Text or Text-and-graphics Simple Text or Text-and-graphics

(like reading a textbook or journal)(like reading a textbook or journal)

• Slide-audio or slide-video lectures Slide-audio or slide-video lectures (like being at a lecture)(like being at a lecture)

• Case-based interactive (like treating Case-based interactive (like treating a “real” patient); you get to make a “real” patient); you get to make choices according to the clinical choices according to the clinical presentationpresentation

More instruction Types of More instruction Types of Online CMEOnline CME

• Quiz questions and answers (the program Quiz questions and answers (the program asks you a question, waits for your asks you a question, waits for your answer, then gives you explanations and answer, then gives you explanations and information based on your answer)information based on your answer)

• Games (like golf, where you gain or lose Games (like golf, where you gain or lose points for your answers)points for your answers)

• Correspondence courses (a group of Correspondence courses (a group of doctors study material and correspond doctors study material and correspond with each other by email)with each other by email)

How much does Online CME How much does Online CME cost?cost?

• Surprisingly inexpensive!Surprisingly inexpensive!

• There are more than 2000 hours of There are more than 2000 hours of Online CME available without chargeOnline CME available without charge

• Another 16,000 hours cost $5 to $15 Another 16,000 hours cost $5 to $15 per hourper hour

• A small minority of credits costs A small minority of credits costs more than $15 per credit-hourmore than $15 per credit-hour

Don’t WorryDon’t Worry

• Don’t be concerned about “visiting” Don’t be concerned about “visiting” an Online CME web sitean Online CME web site

• There is almost never any fee to look There is almost never any fee to look at the site or the list of coursesat the site or the list of courses

• You will, however, usually be asked You will, however, usually be asked to give some basic information about to give some basic information about yourself and to choose a user name yourself and to choose a user name and password before going too farand password before going too far

Why should I bother?Why should I bother?

• ““I get all the CME I need at live I get all the CME I need at live meetings”meetings”

• ““Why should I bother doing it at the Why should I bother doing it at the computer?”computer?”

• BECAUSE…BECAUSE…

Why you should botherWhy you should bother

• ……Online CME is always there, waiting Online CME is always there, waiting for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at home or at the officeweek, at home or at the office

• You can proceed at your own speedYou can proceed at your own speed

• No travel costsNo travel costs

• Very inexpensiveVery inexpensive

Is it hard to do Online CME?Is it hard to do Online CME?

• No!!No!!

• If you have basic internet skills, such If you have basic internet skills, such as pointing and clicking, going as pointing and clicking, going forward and back in your browser forward and back in your browser and two-finger typing, you will do just and two-finger typing, you will do just finefine

How do I find the CME courses How do I find the CME courses that I want to look at?that I want to look at?

• This can be a problem, especially at This can be a problem, especially at first, because there are more than first, because there are more than 200 web sites offering more than 200 web sites offering more than 10,000 activities and more than 10,000 activities and more than 19,000 credit hours19,000 credit hours

• There is no ONE place on the Internet There is no ONE place on the Internet which will show you exactly the which will show you exactly the instruction you want.instruction you want.

• HOWEVER….HOWEVER….

How do I find the CME courses How do I find the CME courses that I want to look at?that I want to look at?

• ...a good way to start is at the ...a good way to start is at the

• Annotated List of Online CMEAnnotated List of Online CME, , www.cmelist.com/list.htmwww.cmelist.com/list.htm

• Choose your area of interest or Choose your area of interest or medical specialtymedical specialty

• And choose from the sites or courses And choose from the sites or courses that seem to be of interestthat seem to be of interest

Family PracticeFamily Practice

• A family doctor might start at the A family doctor might start at the

Family Practice Section Family Practice Section of the CME List, of the CME List, and go from there to theand go from there to the

• American Academy of Family PhysiciaAmerican Academy of Family Physicians ns site or tosite or to

• FamilyPractice.comFamilyPractice.com, sponsored by the , sponsored by the American Board of Family PracticeAmerican Board of Family Practice

InternistInternist

• An internist might start at the An internist might start at the Internal Medicine Internal Medicine section of the section of the Online CME List, and go from there to Online CME List, and go from there to

• Clinical Problem Solving CasesClinical Problem Solving Cases, , sponsored by ACP/ASIM, or to sponsored by ACP/ASIM, or to

• Johns Hopkins Advanced Studies in MJohns Hopkins Advanced Studies in Medicineedicine

CardiologistCardiologist

• A cardiologist could start at the A cardiologist could start at the Cardiology section of the Online CME Cardiology section of the Online CME List List and go toand go to

• CardioVillageCardioVillage (University of Virginia) (University of Virginia) oror

• Baylor University’s Baylor University’s extensive list of extensive list of cardiology offeringscardiology offerings

Other SpecialtiesOther Specialties

• You will find courses in 25 specialty You will find courses in 25 specialty areas, from Allergy to Urology, linked areas, from Allergy to Urology, linked from the main page of thefrom the main page of the

• Annotated List of Online CMEAnnotated List of Online CME

Finding Online CME - Finding Online CME - MedscapeMedscape

• Visit Visit MedscapeMedscape, and register, and register• Registration is unobtrusive and easyRegistration is unobtrusive and easy• Each time you re-visit Medscape, you will Each time you re-visit Medscape, you will

automatically go to your specialty areaautomatically go to your specialty area• Medscape has about 150 CME courses at any one Medscape has about 150 CME courses at any one

time; most offer 1.5 free credit hours; most are text time; most offer 1.5 free credit hours; most are text or slide-audio lecturesor slide-audio lectures

• You can search Medscape by keyword for CME You can search Medscape by keyword for CME subjects of interest to yousubjects of interest to you

• With your permission, Medscape will send you With your permission, Medscape will send you periodic emails about CME courses that may periodic emails about CME courses that may interest youinterest you

Finding Online CME – Finding Online CME – DocGuideDocGuide

• Visit Visit Doctor’s GuideDoctor’s Guide and register and register• As with Medscape, you can set up a home page As with Medscape, you can set up a home page

for your specialty and receive emails about for your specialty and receive emails about courses of interestcourses of interest

• You can search for courses by medical topicYou can search for courses by medical topic• About 1000 courses are currently describedAbout 1000 courses are currently described• The CME courses you find are not produced by The CME courses you find are not produced by

DocGuide. However DocGuide gives you enough DocGuide. However DocGuide gives you enough information to help you decide whether to visit information to help you decide whether to visit the course. When you visit the new site, you may the course. When you visit the new site, you may have to register again and pay for CME credithave to register again and pay for CME credit

Finding Online CME – CE Finding Online CME – CE MedicusMedicus

• CE MedicusCE Medicus offers access and free CME offers access and free CME credit to about 450 online CME activities credit to about 450 online CME activities created by six CME providerscreated by six CME providers

• You can search by medical keyword for You can search by medical keyword for courses of interestcourses of interest

• You need to register only onceYou need to register only once• CE Medicus will also keep track of all your CE Medicus will also keep track of all your

CME requirements and all your CME CME requirements and all your CME activities if you wishactivities if you wish

Finding Online CME – Other Finding Online CME – Other Sites with Search EnginesSites with Search Engines

• cmecourses (Healthstrcmecourses (Healthstream)eam)

• CME webCME web

• Moffitt Cancer Moffitt Cancer Network Network

• NEJM Weekly CME NEJM Weekly CME ProgramProgram

• Postgraduate MedicinePostgraduate Medicine

• psychLINK psychLINK

• Pulmonary and Critical Pulmonary and Critical Care UpdateCare Update

• RSNA Link RSNA Link

• Thyroid Disease Thyroid Disease Manager Manager

• University of AlabamaUniversity of Alabama

• World Medical Leaders World Medical Leaders

What do I do now?What do I do now?

• Visit Visit The List of Online CMEThe List of Online CME or or

• MedscapeMedscape or or

• Doctor’s Guide Doctor’s Guide oror

• CE Medicus CE Medicus or or

• Your specialty society website orYour specialty society website or

• Any online CME site you may heard Any online CME site you may heard of, and have a look.of, and have a look.

Questions/Comments?Questions/Comments?

• Contact Bernard Sklar, MD, MS atContact Bernard Sklar, MD, MS at

• bersklar@netcantina.combersklar@netcantina.com

• Or visitOr visit

• www.cmelist.comwww.cmelist.com