Rheumatology in primary care physicians' practice implications for continuing education

Abstract

The CME needs and degree of competency in managing 2 8 rheumatic disorders were assessed in a 20 percent strat@ed random sample of Illinois-based The inadequacy of training in rheumatology in both undergraduate and graduate medical education has been documented2-8 and suggests the existence of a wide variety of CME needs in rheumatology among primary care physicians. The survey reported here was undertaken to determine whether practicing physicians perceive these educational needs and whether current CME can satisfactorily meet the needs.In the literature of CME, learning needs are "identified deficiencies in medical care -a gap or discrepancy between what a physician knows or does and what he should know or dol'9 Assessment of physicians' learning needs usually is limited to the physicians' own perceptions of their needs. These perceived learning needs are not considered to be demonstrated, or "true," learning needs; i.e., needs "more objectively determined by independent assess-01987 by The