When deciding to partake in the medical education of healthcare professionals there are two options to choose from: accredited or non-accredited education. The good news is there is no wrong choice - both types of continuing medical education (CME) offer their own opportunities and perks. Before deciding which one to pursue, it’s important to understand what CME is and what the differences are between accredited and non-accredited CMEs.
What Does CME Stand For? What is a CME?
CME stands for Continuing Medical Education - the act of providing continuous learning to healthcare professionals. CMEs can take many different forms, from virtual modules to symposiums, and their primary goal is to keep doctors, nurses and other medical professionals up-to-date on the latest in healthcare. There are two types of CMEs - accredited and unaccredited.
What is an Accredited CME?
An accredited Continuing Medical Education (CME) course means that the course itself has met the standards and criteria outlined by an accrediting body. Accredited CMEs are known for being relevant, effective and of excellent quality. An accredited CME course is usually chosen for projects that should be delivered without the appearance of bias. Accreditation guarantees credibility and often increases trust in those participating in the course.
Key Characteristics of an Accredited CME:
- Reputable, trusted and non-partisan
- Endorsed by an accrediting body such as the Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education
- Compliant with professional development standards
- Evidence-based and structured
- Designed to addressed skepticism
Accredited CME courses provide assurance of quality, credibility, and adherence to established educational standards. They offer healthcare professionals the confidence that the educational content has undergone rigorous evaluation and aligns with their professional development needs. If these things are important to you, then creating an accredited CME for your next project may be a good fit.
What is a Non-Accredited CME?
Non-accredited Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses are educational activities that have not been through an accreditation process. That doesn’t mean that these courses aren’t educational or relevant. Often, non-accredited CMEs are created when an organization wants to stay ahead of the curve by quickly responding to emerging evidence or market opportunities. Non-accredited CMEs are great for those who want to get the word out about something quickly.
Characteristics of a Non-Accredited CME:
- Often focused on emerging issues or topics
- Highly relevant for those participating in the course
- Have not participated in an accreditation process
- Known for offering immediate value and impact
Non-accredited CMEs should be pursued if you’re working on a project that’s timely and highly relevant, and waiting for accreditation may be detrimental to the success of the educational material. Non-accredited CMEs are also great should you be working under budget, capacity or time restrictions, as they require less resources than an accredited CME.
Whichever CME you choose - accredited or non-accredited - the most important thing is ensuring your content is highly educational and engaging. If you’d like to learn more about CMEs or you want to stay up to date on the latest in the medcomms industry, sign up for CTC’s newsletter. Just for doing so, we’ll plant 10 trees on your behalf as part of our environmental protection efforts.
