Continuing Medical Education

Howard University College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Office of Continuing Medical Education has the responsibility for maintaining the accreditation of the College of Medicine. Accreditation allows the College of Medicine to certify educational activities for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, provided they meet the Accreditation Council for CME’s criteria for planning and Standards for Commercial Support. Educational activities may be directly sponsored with the College of Medicine’s departme

Brief History

The Continuing Medical Education Program at Howard University evolved from a committee on continuing medical education developed as a part of the 1965 Centennial Celebration of the founding of the University. The Dean of the College of Medicine supported the continuation of the committee after the centennial celebration, and assigned the chairmanship to Dr. William E. Matory, the director of the University’s Hospital Emergency Care Area who was also a member of the surgical faculty and had served a fellowship in physiology with the dean just the year before.

As principal investigator of a small grant for the Medical Education for National Defense (MEND) Program for the University, the chairman developed and received a major grant designed to offer continuing medical education to community physicians in their offices. The grant supported the development of the office, including office staff and a faculty of five clinical specialists. From this faculty and the ECA program, the department of Family Practice was developed, from which a continuous series of family practice residents graduated. Many of these former residents have remained in the Washington, DC area; others have spread to many areas in the country with a concentration in the Atlantic states, and form the core of practitioners subscribing to the Howard University CME Program.

By 1967 the Continuing Medical Education Program was accredited by the American Medical Association (AMA); the first CME Program in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area accredited by the AMA. Its first chairman, and subsequently, director, Dr. William E. Matory, served in this capacity until his retirement on June 30, 2003.

CME Mission

Purpose — The purpose of the CME Program is to provide a medium of education for practicing physicians and related health professionals for all major specialties locally, nationally and internationally; and to update healthcare professionals as to recent trends in various specialties, as well as to reinforce accepted standards of practice.

Content Areas — Content areas in the CME Program include reviews and updates in various disease processes, particularly diseases affecting patients of African descent and other minorities; management issues; prevention; disparities in health care; new guidelines in patient care; recent breakthroughs in medicine and surgery; practice management and office skills. Research in the content areas is encouraged.

Target Audience — The target audience is physicians, community healthcare professionals, Howard University Hospital Attending Staff, House Staff, medical alumna, physician faculty, students and other organizations seeking assistance from Howard University College of Medicine.

Types of Activities Offered — The continuing medical education activity is provided through conferences, special lectureships, courses, workshops, and hands-on participation at the University, at various sites in the community and internationally in support of Howard University’s mission in education, research and service.

Expected Results of the CME Program — The expected results of the Howard University College of Medicine Office of Continuing Education are change in physician competence, performance, and patient outcomes in pursuit of improved patient care. Through these activities we expect that each participant should be able to manage a variety of diseases, utilize current and accepted techniques, as well as apply office practice concepts in disease management all focused to improved quality of patient care.