The Cochrane Collaboration has published a review of continuing education meetings and workshops. The findings of this report support the findings from the previously published AHRQ monograph on the Effectiveness of CME as both found that educational meetings are effective. Specifically the Cochrane review found that meetings that included interaction with didactic sessions were more effective at creating change for serious outcomes than sessions that utilized either interaction or didactic alone. Similarly the AHRQ report stated that mixed modes of education were more effective than single modes. These two reports, when taken together should finally put to rest the notion that CME is ineffective. More research is needed to help guide educators as to the best instructional design for a specific desired outcome.
Tags: CME effectiveness, cochrane