Online CME: an effective alternative to face-to-face delivery

Abstract

Background: The Pharmacotherapies Accreditation Course (PAC) is a continuing medical education (CME) course designed to prepare practitioners for accreditation as pharmacotherapies prescribers for opioid dependence. The course incorporates a preparation stage, a workshop stage and a clinical placement component. The PAC continues to be successfully delivered in face-to-face mode since 2001. From 2003 onwards, an online alternative of the PAC was also implemented.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online alternative to an existing face-to-face CME workshop in preparing practitioners for accreditation as a pharmacotherapies prescriber for opioid dependence.

Methods: Participants were 62 practitioners who undertook the PAC between 2003 and 2006. A pretest/posttest-control group design was used, with outcome measures across the domains of knowledge, skill, and attitudes, together with a course feedback survey for both the online and face-to-face modes of the course.

Results: Results demonstrate that the online CME mode was equally as effective as the face-to face mode in preparing participants for their role in the treatment and management of opioid dependence, and was also rated highly by participants.

Conclusions: The findings have implications for the effective design and delivery of e-learning environments for professional practice, in terms of equipping participants with requisite clinical knowledge and skills and facilitating the development of attitudes congruent with professional practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Greg Ryan

GREG RYAN, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Director of the Pharmacy Education Unit, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Patricia Lyon

PATRICIA LYON, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education, in the Centre for Innovation in Professional Health Education and Research (CIPHER), Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. She also coordinates the Master in Medical Education program in the Faculty of Medicine.

Koshila Kumar

KOSHILA KUMAR, MA, is a Research Officer and PhD candidate in the Centre for Innovation in Professional Health Education and Research (CIPHER), Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

James Bell

JAMES BELL, FRACP, MD, is Director of The Langton Centre, NSW, and is also Associate Professor (Conjoint) in the Department of Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia.

Stewart Barnet

STEWART BARNET, BA, Dip Teach, Grad Dip Ed.Tech, is the Manager of Educational Design, in the Centre for Innovation in Professional Health Education and Research (CIPHER), Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NWS, Australia.

Tim Shaw

TIM SHAW, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Health Workforce Education and Director of program development in the Centre for Innovation in Professional Health Education and Research (CIPHER), Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.