Credentialing physicians: Challenges for continuing medical education

BACKGROUND: Professionals involved in the regulation, credentialing, and certification of physicians around the world met in Chicago in June 2000 to discuss systems to ensure the competence of physicians. We learned that public demand for evidence of continuing competence in practice is driving the profession in most countries to explore new approaches to the education and assessment of physicians. Most groups have called the value of traditional continuing medical education (CME) into question and are exploring the use of self-directed CME methods, self-assessment, and quality improvement as the main instruments for maintenance of certification. It seems likely that teachers will be required to integrate assessment with enhancement of competencies, in much the same way that a coach uses an athlete's performance as a basis for continuous improvement. Recognizing the tough challenges ahead and the demand for CME to adapt to complement future plans for continuous assessment of physician competence, conference participants agreed to create a communication network that would facilitate information sharing and avoid duplication of research efforts.