Continuing Medical Education (CME)

What is Continuing Medical Education?

Continuing medical education consists of educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. The content of CME is that body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of health care to the public.

History

Children's Hospital Colorado has been active in medical education since 1922 when a pediatric residency program was inaugurated. The residency program continued until 1976, when it was merged with the program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. In 1949, continuing medical education became a major activity with the beginning of the Summer Clinics sponsored by Children's Hospital Colorado. Distinguished guest faculty from the leading children's hospitals and universities were invited to speak, attracting pediatricians from the region.

In 1967, L. Joseph Butterfield, MD, was appointed Director of CME, and a number of innovative courses were started. Children's Hospital Colorado was initially accredited as a provider of CME by the Liaison Committee on Continuing Medical Education in the early 1970s. Full accreditation of the CME Program has been maintained and we are currently accredited by the American Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).