Navigating a path through the plethora of courses that make up the Continuing Medical Education (CME) landscape can sometimes feel like an insurmountable task.
The contrast between the highly structured form of training and tutorship that a student receives at college and residency level can leave even the most organized of individuals at a loss.
It helps, therefore, to get a handle of the kinds of options that are open to you when choosing which CME resources to utilize, as well as any other tools and applications at your disposal. Let’s take a look at five of the most important examples, and the reasons why you absolutely cannot be without them.
1. Doximity
As a physician-specific social network, Doximity is designed to connect fellow medics with professionals whom they already know. The company claims that over half-a-million healthcare workers are using their network, with 70% of U.S. doctors verified members, and many more nurse practitioners and other health-related workers joining up.
As well as providing a network for professionals to connect with one another, the site permits users to earn Category 1 CME credits by reading journals on the app, and also enables members to compare salaries and job opportunities across a range of hospitals and leading employers.
2. Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP)
Developed by the American College of Physicians, the MKSAP will both assess your current state of clinical knowledge in your field, whilst also sharpening your problem-solving skills. Additionally, you can compare your results with peers, and if there’s any ground that needs working on and improving, the feedback from the test will spur you to further study in that area.
3. The Journal Club
Staying on top of the published academic research in your specialty is a job in-and-of itself. And as the amount of medical information out there continually builds up, it gets harder and harder to work those long hours and still fit in your required reading.
This is where a journal citation app comes in handy -- and The Journal Club is one of the best. The application will review the top papers in your field, then distil the most salient and pertinent aspects of them into manageable, bite-sized chunks, which you can later peruse at your leisure.
4. Epocrates
Medical apps aren’t just great for keeping abreast of the latest research; they’re also great as mobile diagnostic tools, too.
Arguably the most famous of the current crop is Epocrates -- and with over one million health care providers already making regular use of its features, it’s easy to see why. The app allows users to:
- review drug information and check for any significant interactions
- peruse evidence-based patient guideline
- use its secure messaging service to collaborate with fellow care-team professional
- access disease information; bring up ICD-10 and CPT Codes
5. The Well-Being Index
Professional burnout is a major concern in occupational therapy these days. Studies suggest that a quarter of all workers sampled present symptoms of it, increasing to nearly a half in high-stress occupations.
Invented by the Mayo Clinic, the Well-Being Index is a web-based diagnostic tool that seeks to measure well-being among healthcare employees.
But the Well-Being Index doesn’t just assess and evaluate -- it provides resources for taking the next steps in an employee’s journey, too. The index also promotes self-awareness on a personal and institution-wide level by tracking the well-being of participants over time, so as to compare your company's and your workers' scoring against the national average.
The Well-Being Index team is made up of thought leaders, healthcare associates, technology experts, and content creators dedicated to improving well-being by equipping organizations with the tools and data needed to Go Beyond Burnout.