How to Complete Category 1 CME Credits Online

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Category 1 CME (continuing medical education) carries tremendous value for physicians as it allows some of the busiest healthcare professionals to maintain and enhance their medical knowledge and skill set. The continuous focus on improving practices and keeping pace with healthcare trends ensures they stay up to date with the latest advancements in medicine.

Getting these credits is often required to maintain a license, and traditionally, physicians have to take time away from their work and families to attend conferences or lectures to complete them. Fortunately, advances in online learning have made it possible for doctors to take many required and elective courses from the comfort of home or at the office. These courses are fully certified and cover a range of core subjects like mental health, prescribing best practices, chronic pain management, and more.

Of course, many physicians may not be familiar with what to look for in an online Category 1 CME provider. Here’s everything you need to know to take advantage of this convenient and efficient learning strategy and make the most of your time and energy.

What Are Category 1 CME Credits?

Category 1 CME credits target core informational requirements that physicians must acquire and update throughout their careers to remain competent and aware of industry trends. Traditionally, these can be accrued by attending lectures and online seminars, participating in interactive question banks, and attending in-person or online classes.

Category 1 CME credits are approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) or accredited CME providers according to the following structure:

• AMA-accredited providers: CME providers certified by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) or an ACCME-recognized state medical society.
• AMA-recognized activities: These can include lectures, seminars, and other activities that are considered valid educational activities by the AMA.
• International activities: In some cases, international opportunities are accepted by the AMA through its International Conference Recognition Program.

When it comes to online learning, many non-physician healthcare professionals also take courses that might be listed as CME—but not all of them are valid for physicians. Simply because a course description indicates it’s intended for physicians doesn’t mean it delivers Category 1 CME credits, so it’s important for doctors to evaluate the content they choose carefully.

Any online course you take must be specifically accredited to deliver AMA PRA Category 1 Creditsc according to the description or they won’t be accepted by your institution.

Category 2 CME Credits

AMA PRA Category 2 Creditsc are self-designated or self-claimed by individual physicians for participation in educational activities not certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

These activities can look like:

• Unstructured online learning
• Authoritative medical literature
• Consultation with peers and medical experts
• Self-assessment activities
• Preceptorship participation
• Peer review and quality assurance participation

Some physicians are required to take Category 2 CME credits to meet institutional obligations, and there are many online learning opportunities. Make sure you look closely at the credit type and accreditations of any course you choose to ensure it delivers the CME you need.

Picking a Provider

The first step to completing online Category 1 CME credits is to research potential providers. Not all CME providers are created equal, and it’s important to know that the education you’re investing in will be accepted by any healthcare institution.

CME providers should make it clear that their education meets the standards and criteria set forth by the AMA to be considered Category 1 CME. Top online learning institutions like Premiere will include a clear description of CE accreditation for all eligible disciplines with courses. Premiere works with Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (PACE) to be accredited by ACCME to award AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for physician-appropriate education.

Completing the Course Content

Once you’ve selected a provider and a course, you’ll have instant access to all the materials from any screen. These can include written materials, videos, and interactive content that is designed to support a range of different learning styles. These modules are also self-paced, and materials can be reviewed as many times as necessary. That way, they can be completed according to your schedule in as many sittings as needed, eliminating barriers like travel and re-organizing your schedule.

Many Category 1 CME courses provided by accredited providers require the learner to pass an assessment or quiz. These often come in the form of a multiple-choice test that must be passed with a minimum score of 80%. Physicians are able to review materials and retake the test as many times as necessary to achieve a passing score.

When choosing Premiere, the final assessments are easily accessible and graded instantly. The immediate post-assessment feedback allows for an opportunity to review the questions for information that may need to be clarified.

Claiming Your Category 1 CME Credits

Once the content and the assessment have been completed, the final step is to claim your CME credits. This often includes an evaluation of the course itself. Answering questions that speak to the content itself as well as how the content was delivered is another important step in the CME provider's responsibility to provide education in a meaningful and effective way.

Questions like “Was the content free of bias?” and “Were any potential conflicts of interest observed or disclosed?” are often asked, and your answers will be evaluated anonymously. It is common for access to the claim the CME credits to be granted only after the evaluation has been completed.

Finally, providers may or may not be equipped to register your credits with appropriate entities online. Keep a record of your certificates and check with your employer to find out how best to register your work.

Important Things to Remember:

• Check the accreditation: Always verify that the CME provider is accredited by the ACCME and that the course you select is designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
• Review learning objectives: Make sure to carefully consider the learning objectives of each course to ensure they align with your practice needs.
• Record your credits: Keep a record of your completed CME activities, including the course title, provider, date, and number of credits earned.

Get Your Category 1 CME Credits Online

Physicians don’t typically have a lot of choice in the number and types of credits they are required to get. For example, the DEA controlled substance training is required by law and mandatory for all physicians regardless of their practice or specialty. Between regulatory entities and organizational standards, CME credits are just another professional responsibility you signed up for.

Where you do have a choice is in how you get those credits. Premiere is committed to giving physicians the best CME online learning opportunities available on the market today. With a wide range of required courses and electives developed by industry experts, the evidence-based content is easy to access and meets all your required and elective learning needs. Start exploring Premiere’s wide range of Category 1 CME activities and take back control over your schedule and career.