Planning and Obtaining CME Credit-Essential Messages for Planning your CME Activity

Essential Messages for Planning your CME Activity

Pdf Summary

This document provides essential guidance for planning Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities aligned with ACCME accreditation standards.<br /><br />1. The Process: CME planning involves identifying a competence gap, designing activities to address it, applying for CME credit using a fillable PDF form before Smartsheet submission, implementing the activity, collecting impact data, and summarizing outcomes annually.<br /><br />2. Defining the Gap: Clearly describing the gap between current and desired competence or performance informs targeted planning and measurable learning objectives, sometimes requiring post-activity support like reminders or checklists.<br /><br />3. Use of the Fillable PDF Application Form: This tool ensures all components of the application—Learning objectives, data collection plans, and outcome measures—are aligned and facilitates team communication. It includes links to helpful resources and precedes Smartsheet submission.<br /><br />4. Crafting Good Learning Objectives: Objectives should be SMART—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound—clearly stating what learners will achieve. Well-designed objectives align with evaluation surveys and guide activity design.<br /><br />5. Change in Competence Requirement: CME credit requires evidence of change in competence, performance, or patient outcomes—not just knowledge gain. Competence can be demonstrated through assessments like retrospective pre/post surveys or commitment-to-change statements. Performance change is ideally measured post-activity.<br /><br />6. Learning Formats: Selecting formats (e.g., small group discussions, case-based learning, simulation) should align with learning objectives. Different formats support different learning goals, from knowledge to skill application.<br /><br />7. Learning & Feedback Form: This form collects essential data on changes in competence or performance, not just satisfaction. It typically includes retrospective pre/post surveys and commitment-to-change evaluations, providing data for accreditation reporting.<br /><br />8. Supplemental Materials: Post-activity follow-up (reminders, resources, peer feedback) reinforces learning, enhances competence retention, and increases impact on clinical practice and patient outcomes. Follow-up on commitment-to-change further gauges effectiveness.<br /><br />The Center for Professional Learning (CPL) offers support throughout this process to develop high-quality CME activities that meet learner needs and accreditation requirements.

Keywords

Continuing Medical Education

CME planning

ACCME accreditation

competence gap

fillable PDF application

SMART learning objectives

change in competence

learning formats

feedback form

supplemental materials