Evaluation of continuing medical education programs: A selected literature, 1984-1988

This study was undertaken to review the state of continuing medical education literature between 1984 and 1988. A review of 135 published articles describing continuing medical education programs and some aspect of program evaluation was included. In order to make the literature more accessible to clinicians and researchers interested in any aspect of continuing medical education, a series of indexes were developed. The literature was classified by learning domain, instructional method, instructional technique and evaluation method. This review provides a framework for examination of the design, implementation, and evaluation of continuing medical education. The results suggest that research in the field of continuing medical education is expanding and that continuing medical education programs do have an impact on physician performance.