[Systematic aspects of problem-based, case-related, practice-oriented, professional continuing education].

Traditional CME using lectures has not been shown to improve patient care, which is the purpose of all learning in medicine. As knowledge taught mainly by lecturing is not useful for dealing with clinical problems, problem-based courses were developed to integrate general principles of basic and clinical sciences in undergraduate education. Case-based teaching is used for effective teaching of patient care.

Lifelong learning of physicians: contributions of different educational phases to practice performance.

This pilot study was designed to find out where and when in their education physicians thought they had acquired the competencies they used in their daily practices five years after completion of their formal training. Specifically, the study sought physicians' views about the relative contributions of seven major phases of medical education (i.e.

[Methods in continuing professional education. Results of a pilot survey of physicians].

There is not enough evidence, that formal continuing education can improve the quality of patient care. A model to support the work of quality circles by improving the acquisition of new knowledge and skills through problem-based learning in small groups was suggested in 1991. The results of a pilot survey carried out in three different groups of physicians and professional health care workers gave evidence that the model is acceptable in Germany, where problem-based learning is virtually unknown.

[Rational continuing medical education].

The goal of continuing medical education is to enhance quality and effectiveness of patient care and the health of the public. Everything helping to reach this goal is continuing education. Knowledge and principles needed to improve practice can only be acquired to a small extent by attending conventional lectures.