Medical Continuing Education

Medical continuing education is targeted at working professionals in the healthcare sector. Medical continuing education gives them a chance to improve their skills, learn new technologies and procedures and enhance their knowledge in practice areas they may not yet have been exposed to in their studies. Medical continuing education is growing in importance with the rapid change in hospital technologies and the need for medical specialists to be well versed in more than one area of practice.

What can you learn through medical continuing education?

Medical continuing education covers all areas of practice in the healthcare sector. The focus of studies in medical continuing education is on specializations rather than basic paramedic training. This is because medical continuing education is targeted at doctors who are already working but feel that additional formal training will benefit them in the workplace.
As such, it is possible to get medical continuing education in nearly every sphere of medical practice including cardiology, oncology, radiology, internal medicine and anesthesiology. The coursework of medical continuing education is not designed to substitute for residency experience. It covers terminology, procedures and case studies to provide students a holistic overview in the field that may supplement their practical experience.

Part of the reason for developing the possibility of medical continuing education is the increased use of technology in hospitals and clinics. Doctors and physicians are expected to be increasingly comfortable using new devices such as stents, laparoscopes and magnetic resonance imaging machines. Doctors may not have received formal training in these devices during school but have realized that increased knowledge of the function of such devices will allow them to be more effective practitioners. Medical continuing education allows students to learn about selecting such devices and the scenarios in which they are most useful.

Is it possible to complete medical continuing education online?

Many medical professionals prefer to complete their medical continuing education online. It is a drain on both time and resources to have to commute to a campus and take classes. The course selection at accessible campuses may also prove to be limited.
Medical continuing education offers a vast array of coursework in an online format. It is possible to watch instructional videos on different procedures and processes. Online simulations allow practice and the development of comfort with new technologies and systems.
Forums allow interaction with peers and instructors who can provide useful advice. This also allows the development of a tight community of those interested in medical continuing education who may network to increase their knowledge and learn about new opportunities for their skills.

What are the advantages of medical continuing education?

Medical continuing education is critical for those working doctors who would like to stay on the cutting edge of their field and learn more about related ones. As doctors get more experienced and move into positions of administration and management, they require broader knowledge to improve the efficiency of hospital operations. Medical continuing education is a great way to get this exposure.