Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Accredited Continuing Medical Education in the United States

Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions (06/14/22) McMahon, Graham T.

A recent report evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on accredited continuing medical education (CME) in the United States, based on data submitted to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). ACCME President and CEO Graham T. McMahon, MD, MMSc, writes that significant shifts in CME transpired in 2020 after a comparatively stable period. "Compared with 2019, the number of accredited organizations, activities, hours of instruction and revenue declined in 2020. In contrast, engagement in CME by physicians and other healthcare professionals increased to the record levels," he explains. The data showed virtual learning formats were dominant, and nearly one-half of accredited organizations provided mainly online activities concentrating on pandemic-related subjects. Educators are expecting activities in online and hybrid formats to remain popular, which creates new challenges for CME. "It is important that institutional leaders appropriately resource CME staff and faculty to design and deliver education targeting ongoing pandemic-related issues such as vaccine hesitancy, medical misinformation and clinician burnout," McMahon advises.

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