In FY 2008, the office provided medical education to more than 24,000 health-care professionals throughout Missouri and the world with more than 1,400 programs.
Continuing Medical Education and Cooperative Extension Health Education
Source: MU Extension Annual Report, FY 2008
The Office of Continuing Medical Education serves as MU Extension’s primary liaison to health-care providers throughout the state by sharing cutting-edge research and improved standards of patient care stemming from the MU School of Medicine and University Hospital and Clinics.
The office’s primary mission is to provide quality programs that promote the health of patients while fulfilling the ongoing educational needs of MU faculty and Missouri’s growing number of rural practitioners. Programs include educational opportunities in primary care and medical specialties, as well as health ethics, quality improvement and patient safety. These areas highlight the unbiased, evidence-based knowledge from MU physicians’ expertise and the University’s role as a leading research center.
In FY 2008, the office provided medical education to more than 24,000 health-care professionals in Missouri and beyond through more than 1,400 programs.
One challenge lies in providing close-to-home continuing education that only minimally interferes with physicians’ daily workloads and patient care.
The office delivers several of its outreach programs throughout the state via the Missouri Telehealth Network, including the MU School of Medicine’s “grand rounds” and similar series, which the office accredits. These broadcasts allow participants to stay current in their specialties without having to travel to consult with experts in their respective fields. Additionally, the office maintains the school’s accreditation through the national Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, a status critical to the program’s long-term success.
To meet the demands of the various audiences it serves, the office continually scans the medical education environment for opportunities to expand program offerings into new arenas. In FY 2008, the office began working with staff at the school’s newly opened Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden Clinical Simulation Center, with the specific purpose of improving patient care and safety, as well as overall health-care quality, through the use of simulation. This partnership helps provide hands-on educational opportunities beyond the scope of traditional classroom lectures.
Collaborative efforts among the office, the MU Extension health education program, regional extension specialists and other organizations also continue to improve the health literacy of Missourians through community-based chronic disease prevention and self-management activities.
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The largest single event managed through the office is the annual Dialysis Conference, which convenes an international group of practitioners and researchers to discuss current developments in that field. In March 2008, CME managed its 28th conference, concurrent with the 14th International Symposium on Hemodialysis and the 19th annual Symposium on Pediatric Dialysis. The Dialysis Conference, which drew more than 2,300 physicians, fellows, nurses, social workers and dietitians from 40-plus countries, continues to be the world’s leading international forum for practitioners and researchers to discuss current developments in dialysis.
Continuing Medical Education Web site