Every physician has a busy lifestyle, especially a locum tenens physician. Trying to care for patients, raise a family and stay involved in the medical community is enough to drive anyone to exhaustion. In between taking care of all that, you also need to find time to complete your required CME credits. So, how do you find flexible options to fit in your CME while taking care of the rest of your life? Here are a few options:
- Sign up for webinars: A plethora of webinars offer CME credit and can be found simply by conducting an Internet search or checking in with the medical society of your choice. For example, the Society of Hospital Medicine offers regular webinars on practical topics like care transitions and readmission rates. Most times, these courses are available on demand, so they’re perfect for a busy schedule.
- Watch a video: Websites such as The Doctor’s Channel offer quick videos by specialty for CME credit. They’re ready when you are, and best of all, it’s free to register.
- Grab your smartphone: Locum Leaders offers free access to CME via QuantiaMD. All the information is readied for your smartphone and is easy to access on-the-go. Registration is free as are the QuantiaMD apps for iPhone and Blackberry.
- Put on your reading glasses: Just for reading well-known journals like the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) or the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and answering a few questions, you can receive CME credit. JAMA lets you read ‘off-line’ and take a post-quiz online. Grab a copy when you head out the door, and sneak in some extra reading during lunch or travel.
- Attend an event…and bring the kids: A majority of medical societies offer attendees CME credits for attending sessions at their conferences. To make the most of your time, book an extra day or two and bring the family! Many organizations hold their meetings in desirable locations and even offer discounts on local attractions or sponsor free events for your family. The Society of Hospital Medicine and the American College of Physicians offer helpful tourist information on their annual meeting websites.
Remember, when keeping track of the CME credits you receive using these methods, it pays to stay organized. Be sure to obtain paperwork certifying you received the credit, and file it away for that year. With some planning and Internet access, CME credits are at your fingertips!
Tags: CME, locum tenens, Travel
