CME Professional 
   Competencies Survey

 

 

 

Dear Alliance Member:

The Alliance for Continuing Medical Education recently updated the competencies needed by CME professionals. We need you to tell us how closely these competencies match your own job responsibilities, to what extent you have attained each competency, and the specific skills that you think are required for each competency area. This information will help the Alliance identify the professional development needs of those in various CME roles. 

By answering these questions, you will not only help the Alliance in its research, but also be able to get an instant snapshot of where you stand in relation to the competencies.  Keep in mind that the information you provide will be completely anonymous, and no single person should be expected to have mastered all of these competencies.

The survey should take you less than 20 minutes.  To do it now, please follow these steps:

  • Read and answer the questions by clicking or typing as indicated.
  • If you wish to have a copy of your “self-assessment,” check where indicated.
  • Finally, click on the “Submit” button to send the completed survey to the Alliance.

Preliminary findings of this research project were presented at the Alliance Annual Conference in Atlanta in January 2004.

Thank you for your support of the Alliance's efforts to help CME and CME professionals continue to develop their professional competencies.

   Marcia J. Jackson, PhD
   President


Part 1

Please select the most appropriate item:

1. Which best describes your primary job responsibility in your organization?

 
 Leader: overall planning and direction
 
 Manager: supervising or managing certain areas of operations
 
 Coordinator: developing and implementing CME activities
 
 Administrative/Clerical Supporter: supporting CME activities

2. In which Alliance CME Provider Section is your organization?

             

3. Is your organization an accredited provider of CME? 

     Yes     No

4. What is your gender? 

        Female     Male

5. What is your age? 

    

6. How many staff are employed in your CME organization, including yourself?

       

7. How many years have you been in CME? 

      

8. What is the highest degree/diploma you have completed?

     Doctorate:  MD   DO   PHD   EdD   Other Doctorate
      Masters
      Bachelors
      Associates
      High School 


Part 2

The Alliance has identified 48 CME Professional Competencies grouped into 8 areas. For each of the 48 competencies,  please answer two questions using the 5-point rating scale provided:

  • To what extent is this competency a current responsibility of your job?
  • To what extent have you attained this competency?

Rating Scale Key:

1 2 3 4 5
None Slight Moderate Considerable Great

After each Competency Area, please type any comments you may have in the space provided.


Competency Area 1: Adult/Organizational Learning Principles

Description: Comprehend evidenced-based adult and organizational learning principles that
improve the performance and outcomes of the physician learner and the organizations in
which they work.

 Competency 

 To what extent is this
 competency a current
    responsibility of your job?

  To what extent have you    attained this competency?

1.1  Maintain awareness of evidenced-based adult learning principles
1
 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1.2  Maintain awareness of organizational
development practices
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1.3  Conduct and/or apply educational research on learning and change
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1.4  Remain current on the CME literature
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5

Area 1 Comments:   What specific knowledge or skills 
would best help you attain these competencies?


Competency Area 2: Educational Interventions

Description: Apply and improve educational interventions using evidence-based adult and
organizational learning principles in appropriate contexts (learners, content and settings) that
produce expected results for the physician learners and the organizations in which they work.

 Competency 

 To what extent is this
 competency a current
    responsibility of your job?

To what extent have you    attained this competency?

2.1  Use evidenced based adult learning
principles
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.2  Use data, especially clinical practice data, to identify physician learning needs
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.3  Facilitate physician self-directed learning
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.4  Help physicians reflect upon desired levels of performance
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.5  Translate learner needs into measurable objectives
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.6  Apply effective learning formats that consider needs and environment
1
 		 2
 		3
 		4
 		5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.7  Consider multi-disciplinary educational
interventions
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.8  Provide longitudinal interventions
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.9  Provide interactive learning and
opportunities to practice skills
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 		3
 		4
 		5
2.10  Emphasize problem-based/ practice-based learning
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.11  Assure content validation
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
2.12  Offer educational consultation that emphasizes measurement within physician organizations
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5

Area 2 Comments:   What specific knowledge or skills 
would best help you attain these competencies?

Competency Area 3: Performance Measurement

 Description: Use appropriate data to assess two components: 1) Educational—the success
of learning interventions, especially physician performance (CME activities) and 2)
Administrative—the performance of the CME program.

 Competency 

 To what extent is this
competency a current
    responsibility of your job?

To what extent have you    attained this competency?

3.1  Develop and use a data management system for educational and administrative purposes
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
3.2  Use measurement data to assess educational outcomes/results
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
3.3  Provide measurement tools and utilize data that enable learners to compare present and optimum performance
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
3.4  Promote continuous improvement skills for physicians
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
3.5  Use data to assess the performance of the CME office
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
3.6  Promote continuous improvement of the CME office
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5

Area 3 Comments:   What specific knowledge or skills 
would best help you attain these competencies?


Competency Area 4: Systems Thinking

Description: Recognize that physicians and CME professionals are part of a complex healthcare
system with processes, other health providers and patients that must be considered in providing
learning interventions.

 Competency 

 To what extent is this
competency a current
    responsibility of your job?

To what extent have you    attained this competency?

4.1  Recognize that CME professionals and the physicians they serve are part of team within systems
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
4.2  Consider multi-disciplinary, or team, needs assessment, educational design and evaluation
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 		5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
4.3  Consider healthcare organizational needs and goals
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
4.4  Enable physicians and teams to apply what is learned with limited fear of failure
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
4.5  Design activities that help physicians and their teams adopt change incrementally within their system
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
4.6  Identify and help modify barriers to change and implementation of new knowledge
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5

Area 4 Comments:   What specific knowledge or skills 
would best help you attain these competencies?


Competency Area 5: Partnering
Description: Identify and collaborate with key partners and stakeholders in accomplishing their
CME mission.

 Competency 

 To what extent is this
competency a current
    responsibility of your job?

To what extent have you    attained this competency?

5.1  Identify and collaborate with internal partners (e.g., quality/performance improvement, library, patient care)
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
5.2  Identify and collaborate with external partners (e.g., public health dept., government agencies, commercial supporters)
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
1
 		 2
 3
 4
 5
5.3  Build relationships that support educational improvements for the patient, the physician and his/her organization
1
 		 2
 3
 4