State Medical Association's Role in the Continuing Education of the Practicing Physician

Abstract

A state medical association can have a strong role in continuing medical education if it represents the physician, bears the responsibility and privilege for continuing education of its members, and recognizes today's needs and inadequacies in this field. It can act as a catalyst between its members and medical educators; it can coordinate educational activities of other organizations and can provide leadership in developing evaluation programs; it can serve in accreditation activities; it can help in motivating the physician to participate in continuing medical education; it can strengthen the relationship between medical schools, medical societies, and hospitals; it can provide a statewide forum for exchange of ideas and problems in continuing medical education. I suggest that the American Medical Association provide an annual national forum for all state medical associations to accomplish the same goals together.