As part of an initiative to raise healthcare standards and ensure that healthcare professionals continually update their knowledge, Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) introduced compulsory Continuing Medical Education (CME) for all physicians and other healthcare professionals. Each practitioner will require 50 hours of CME per calendar year with at least 25 category 1 credit hours.

What is CME?

Continuing Medical Education (CME) is defined as educational activities that serve to maintain, develop, or  increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician or healthcare provider uses to provide  services for patients, the public, or the profession (source: ACCME and AMA).

What types of activities qualify for CME/CE certification?

• A wide variety of educational activities qualify for CME certification, including, but not limited to:

• Lectures and meetings in which learners are physically or remotely present.

• Enduring Materials

• CME activities based on recorded or published content (i.e., printed materials, CD- ROMs, audio CDs, DVDs, Internet presentations).
 

What type of CME credit do physicians and other healthcare providers need?

HAAD Category 1 Credit is the most common type of credit physicians need for medical license maintenance.  In order for an activity to be designated for HAAD Category 1 Credit, it must be accredited by HAAD CME Department planned by an accredited CME provider.
 

What is the difference between Category 1 and Category 2 credit?

According to the HAAD guidelines on CME accreditation, Category 1 CME activities are:

• Formally planned activities that include documentation of acceptable needs assessment, learning objectives, educational design, an evaluation method, and disclosure.

• Planned and implemented in full compliance with the HAAD Standards for Commercial Support .

• Prospectively certified for credit by an HAAD-accredited CME Provider.

Category 2 "self claim" credits are:

• Informally planned physician-initiated activities such as practice-based self-study, consultations with colleagues, teaching, M&M conferences, journal clubs, etc.
 

What is the cost of CME/CE certification?

The cost of certifying your activity for CME/CE credit depends on:

• Type of activity (joint/co vs. directly sponsored, live vs. enduring, 1 hour vs. 5-day, etc).

• Number of credit hours

• Number of educational grants involved

• Number of Faculty (speakers, authors, etc)

• Estimated number of participants/learners

How can I obtain information about an activity that is being accredited by HAAD CME department?

Visit the Live Events Calendar or Online Activities sections on our home page (www.synovetics.com).