Professional Development


7 - CME: An ethical obligation
As a physician, you are a lifelong learner. Although you may have finished medical school, with the constant changes and advances in medical information and knowledge, it is your ethical obligation as a physician to stay abreast of these developments to properly diagnose, manage and treat your patients throughout your approximately 30-year career. As the American Medical Association states in its Ethical Opinion 9.011 entitled "Ethical Issues in CME": "Physicians should strive to further their medical education throughout their career, for only by participating in continuing medical education can they continue to serve patients to the best of their abilities and live up to professional standards of excellence." CME offers doctors the opportunity to learn and stay up to date on how to diagnose patients, treat diseases and use products and medical devices safely and effectively. CME helps physicians maintain their medical expertise and continually change their behaviors, attitude and habits.