A Glossary in Support of Physicians' Continuing Professional Development Across the World

Abstract

As the physician learning environment becomes more global, the importance of a common language for CME/CPD is becoming increasingly important in order that physicians, the regulatory community, and the public may grasp the meaning of particular terms and understand the context in which they are being used. Establishment of a common language for continuing professional development is essential for developing substantive equivalency agreements among regulatory jurisdictions and improving the quality of CME/CPD systems worldwide. The International Academy for CPD Accreditation (IACPDA) developed a glossary of commonly used terms and consensus-based definitions of those terms. There is not an expectation that accrediting bodies must change their terminology to conform to the glossary. Rather, the intent is for the glossary to facilitate greater understanding and potential for harmonization of standards among CME/CPD accreditors, certifying boards, medical regulatory authorities and other stakeholders, thus enabling improvement worldwide in the quality of CME/CPD activities in which health professionals participate, and therefore improvement in their competence and practice performance. This article highlights synergies created by a standardization in CME/CPD terminology and summarizes the methodology used, and design of, the new glossary of terminology by the IACPDA. While the IACPDA has identified modifications and enhancements to be incorporated into future updates, the current glossary is already publicly accessible. The IACPDA welcomes comments from all stakeholders, including the medical regulatory community.

Vive la Différence: A Comparison of CPD Quality Assurance Systems in France and The United States

“…We believe that a key responsibility for accrediting bodies and other regulatory bodies is to create connections between nations, systems, and professions. Although there are differences in systems within and between nations, there is also a commonality of goals (See Table 1 ) [ 2 , 3 ].…”

Letters to the Editor

“…1, pp. 17-22) 1 the authors describe the importance of establishing a common language for continuing medical education (CME) and continuing professional development (CPD) to facilitate greater understanding and the potential for harmonization of standards among CME/CPD accreditors, certifying boards, medical regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders. The creation of this glossary represents a crucial step forward: A common set of terms lays the groundwork for effective communication among these stakeholders, enabling us to work more ef ciently together as we collaborate across borders to advance our shared goals of improving physician competence, practice and patient care.…”