Physicians' continuing medical education activities and satisfaction with their ability to stay current in medical information and practice: A cross‐sectional study

Background and Aims Little is known about physicians' approaches to continuing medical education (CME) for continuing professional development despite the rapid evolution of CME offerings. We sought to identify the extent to which demographic, career, and experiential CME‐activity variables were independently associated with physicians' satisfaction with their ability to stay current on medical information and practice. Methods Using the 2019 Association of American Medical Colleges' National Sample Survey of Physicians data, we ran multivariable logistic regression models examining demographic, career, and experiential (participation in 11 CME activities in the past year) variables for their associations with physicians' satisfaction (satisfied vs. not satisfied/neutral) with their ability to stay current. Results Of 5926 respondents, 90% (5341/5926) were satisfied with their ability to stay current. Significant (each two‐sided p < 0.05) predictors of respondents who were satisfied included (among others) a surgery specialty (vs. primary care;adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06–1.88), an academic affiliation (vs. none;AOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.10–1.66), and participation (vs. no participation) in each of professional meetings (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.07–1.60) and journal‐based CME (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07–1.56). Respondents who self‐identified as a race/ethnicity underrepresented in medicine (vs. white;AOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.48–0.97) and were between ages 40 and 49 years (vs. 50–59;AOR = 0.74;95% CI = 0.58–0.94) were less likely to be satisfied. Gender, board certification status, and medical degree type did not independently predict satisfaction (each p > 0.05). Conclusion We observed independent associations between physicians' satisfaction with their ability to stay current in medical information and practice and each specialty, academic affiliation, race/ethnicity, age, and CME activity type (for 2 of 11 examined). Findings may be relevant to organizations and institutions designing and implementing CME activities in the current context of COVID‐19 pandemic‐related in‐person activity limitations and can inform targeted interventions addressing differences in the satisfaction we observed to better support physicians' CME.

Physicians' continuing medical education activities and satisfaction with their ability to stay current in medical information and practice: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Little is known about physicians' approaches to continuing medical education (CME) for continuing professional development despite the rapid evolution of CME offerings. We sought to identify the extent to which demographic, career, and experiential CME-activity variables were independently associated with physicians' satisfaction with their ability to stay current on medical information and practice. Methods: Using the 2019 Association of American Medical Colleges' National Sample Survey of Physicians data, we ran multivariable logistic regression models examining demographic, career, and experiential (participation in 11 CME activities in the past year) variables for their associations with physicians' satisfaction (satisfied vs. not satisfied/neutral) with their ability to stay current. Results: Of 5926 respondents, 90% (5341/5926) were satisfied with their ability to stay current. Significant (each two-sided p < 0.05) predictors of respondents who were satisfied included (among others) a surgery specialty (vs. primary care; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.88), an academic affiliation (vs. none; AOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.10-1.66), and participation (vs. no participation) in each of professional meetings (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.07-1.60) and journal-based CME (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07-1.56). Respondents who self-identified as a race/ethnicity underrepresented in medicine (vs. white; AOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.48-0.97) and were between ages 40 and 49 years (vs. 50-59; AOR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.58-0.94) were less likely to be satisfied. Gender, board certification status, and medical degree type did not independently predict satisfaction (each p > 0.05). Conclusion: We observed independent associations between physicians' satisfaction with their ability to stay current in medical information and practice and each specialty, academic affiliation, race/ethnicity, age, and CME activity type (for 2 of 11 examined). Findings may be relevant to organizations and institutions designing and implementing CME activities in the current context of COVID-19 pandemic-related in-person activity limitations and can inform targeted interventions addressing differences in the satisfaction we observed to better support physicians' CME.

Graduating Medical Students' Experiences with Away (In-Person and Virtual) Rotations During COVID-19: Analysis of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) 2021 Graduation Questionnaire (GQ).

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted students' opportunities for away rotations (ARs). Schools and specialty organizations innovated by supplementing in-person ARs (ipARs) with virtual ARs (vARs). We sought to determine how ipAR and vAR completion varied by intended specialty among 2021 graduates. DESIGN: Using de-identified Association of American Medical Colleges 2021 Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) data, we examined AR completion by specialty and community-based school attendance (among other variables) in univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression models. SETTING: Students graduating from MD-degree granting U.S. medical schools were invited to complete the 2021 GQ, administered electronically on a confidential basis. PARTICIPANTS: Our study included data for 15,451 GQ respondents (74% of all 2021 graduates). RESULTS: Among GQ respondents, 18% (2,787/15,451) completed ARs: 8% (1,279/15,451) ipAR only, 8% (1,218/15,451) vAR only, and 2% (290/15,541) both. In univariate analysis, specialty and community-based school attendance (each p < 0.001), among other variables, were associated with ipAR and with vAR. In multivariable logistic regression, surgical specialties associated with greater odds of AR completion (vs. general surgery reference) included neurological surgery (ipAR: adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.1-3.3; vAR AOR=3.1, 95% CI=1.9-4.9), ophthalmology (ipAR: AOR=2.3, 95% CI=1.6-3.3; vAR: AOR=2.5, 95% CI=1.7-3.7), orthopedic surgery (ipAR: AOR=2.5, 95% CI=1.8-3.4; vAR: AOR=12.4, 95%CI=9,2-16.5), otolaryngology (ipAR: AOR=1.8, 95% CI=1.2-2.8; vAR: AOR=4,8, 95% CI=3.4-6.9), plastic surgery (ipAR: AOR=2.1, 95% CI=1.2-3.5; vAR: AOR=13.9, 95% CI=9.3-20.7) and urology (ipAR: AOR=2,1, 95% CI=1.4-3.2; vAR: AOR=11.9, 95% CI=8.4-16.8). Community-based medical school attendance was also associated with greater odds of ipAR (AOR=4.6, 95% CI=3.1-6.7) and vAR (AOR=1.8, 95% CI=1.4-2.3). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of AR completion was low. Differences we observed by specialty and medical school type aligned well with recommended circumstances for ipARs for the class of 2021. Substantial specialty-specific differences in vAR completion suggest that various surgical specialties were among the early innovators in this regard.