Life long learning and physician revalidation in Europe
Summer 2009 Volume 11, Number 2
The Health Policy Bulletin of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
The Observatory is a partnership between the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Governments of Belgium,
Available online PDF [12p.] at: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/Obs/EuroObserver_summer2009.pdf
Contents
- Life long learning and physician revalidation in
- Revalidation of the medical profession in
- Physician revalidation in the
- Physician revalidation in
- Revalidation of doctors in
Life long learning and physician revalidation in
Philipa Mladovsky, Sherry Merkur, Elias Mossialos and Martin McKee
“…It is increasingly accepted that the completion of undergraduate medical education is only the first step in a process of life long learning for physicians. At its simplest, life long learning involves participation in continuing medical education (CME), designed to keep physicians up-to-date on clinical developments and medical knowledge.
The broader concept of continuing professional development (CPD) includes CME along with the development of personal, social and managerial skills. More demanding methods incorporate other tools such as peer review, external evaluation and practice inspection. The outcome of these processes may be recertification or relicensure, although this is rarely the case in
Few countries require that physicians demonstrate explicitly that they remain fit to practice. The term ‘revalidation’ was coined by the General Medical Council (GMC) in the United Kingdom (UK), where it was defined as an “evaluation of a medical practitioner’s fitness to practise”.1 Although this definition focuses on assessment, it is recognized that the process leading up to it should be formative, encouraging professional development as well as identifying those unfit to practice.
Revalidation is thus one element within a larger system that has three objectives:
- to provide a system of professional accountability;
- to ensure that basic standards of care do not fall below acceptable standards; and
- to promote continuing improvements in quality of care.
Drawing on a recently published policy brief and article3,4 we discuss contextual factors influencing the choice of approach to revalidation, potential policy approaches, evidence relating to the different technical methods and some implementation options…..”
Related Links:
Merkur S, Mladovsky P, Mossialos E,
McKee M. Do Lifelong Learning and Revalidation Ensure that Physicians are Fit to Practise? Policy Brief: Health Systems
and Policy Analysis.
PDF [33p.] at http://www.euro.who.int/document/hsm/9_hsc08_epb_12.pdf
Merkur S, Mossialos E, Long M, McKee M. Physician revalidation in Europe. Clinical Medicine 2008;8:371–76.
PDF [9p.] at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/22232/1/Physician_revalidation_in_Europe(LSERO).pdf
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