CME endorsement criteria

1. Educational principles

CME activities are developed according to sound educational principles. These include:

Relevance and coherence

• Having clear learning goals/outcomes.
• Having a structure that demonstrates how learning builds on previous learning/experience.
• Using teaching and learning approaches that encourage engagement, and active learning.
• Using activities to develop equality and cooperation amongst learners.
• Providing mechanisms to support reflection and application to practice.
• Providing clear information and expectations including length of time expected to complete activity, any assessment requirements, and methods for obtaining feedback.
• Allow for differences in learning styles.

Cultural safety and health equity

• Education objectives that help improve health outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples and reduce inequalities between Māori and Pacific peoples and other New Zealanders.
• Acknowledgment of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi), How meeting our obligations under Te Tiriti effect the overall health outcomes of Māori and Pacific peoples.
• Identifying cultural beliefs and needs of Māori and Pacific people.
• The activity plans for and demonstrates consideration of cultural safety and health equity for Māori and other identified patient groups.
• This includes, but is not limited to, the potential impact of a doctor’s and patient’s culture on interactions and the provision of care.
• The activity seeks to identify and address any biases, attitudes, assumptions, stereotypes, and prejudices so that a high quality of care is afforded to all patients.

Feedback

• Learners are provided with a structured opportunity to reflect on the learning activity, either as individuals or in a group setting
• Where appropriate learners receive feedback about their engagement in the activity. This may be at a group or individual level.

Future focused

• The learning activity meets current and anticipates future educational, social, and economic needs of relevant stakeholders.
• Specific suggestions/provisions for follow-up activities are made where practicable.
• References to further resources on the topic are provided.

Quality

• Learners are provided with high quality evidence based educational activities, resources, and support materials.
• Activities are facilitated and delivered by presenters that are experienced in the topic/discipline area to ensure the educational value of the session is maximised for learners.

2.Educational value

• The content of the CME activity is relevant and useful to College members in New Zealand.
• The content of the CME activity is accurate, up to date, fit for purpose and based on educational best practice.
• The activity must align with the specific domains of competence.
• The presenters are appropriately qualified, independent, and well-known authorities on the subject.
• In developing the content, relevant and current research evidence was consulted, and sources were acknowledged.

3. Ethical standards 

• All CME activities provide a balanced coverage of issues and contain no professional or commercial bias.
• Any sponsorship of the programme or any event in the programme is publicly acknowledged and has no bearing on the content or delivery of the activity.
• Any sponsorship of the programme or any event in the programme is publicly acknowledged and has no bearing on the content or delivery of the activity.

4. Delivery

• CME activities do not create unnecessary barriers to learning and deliver on the approved learning hours, activities, and feedback.
• All CME activities must have the following elements and clearly include the elements on any promotional and course materials:
  • activity title
  • identified domain(s) of competence
  • stated mode of learning/delivery
  • endorsed contact time/credits
  • length of activity
  • Cultural safety and treaty of Waitangi acknowledgment
  • clear set of learning intentions and anticipated outcomes; and
  • the approved College endorsement logo (supplied)
  • Any potential bias or sponsorship must be clearly communicated
  • CME activities are to allow time for reflection, interactions and/or discussion.
• All providers must upload the attendance data within 5 working days of the activity delivery.

5. Evaluation

• There must be a system in place for gathering, summarising, and reviewing learner feedback, as well as evaluating the learning activity.
• Feedback is used to inform future activities and opportunities for endorsement.
• An anonymised feedback form is made available to learners.