SAN MATEO, CALIF., SEPTEMBER 12, 2005
Physicians Embrace On-the-Go Education System
Learn Why Thousands of Physicians Are Using Epocrates MobileCME System
Epocrates, Inc. announced today that the MobileCME learning center has helped more than 30,000 physicians and other healthcare professionals earn continuing medical education (CME) credits since its launch. Bob MacAvoy, vice president of medical education at Epocrates, will be presenting these results and additional information about mobile learning at the Pharmaceutical Marketing Congress taking place in Philadelphia, PA September 12-14, 2005.
Forty states require physicians to earn a specified number of hours of CME each year to maintain their board certification and remain current on clinical practices. Epocrates introduced the MobileCME program, a free and portable learning center, earlier this year. The program provides physicians that use Epocrates mobile clinical reference solutions with the option to complete CME courses directly on their mobile device.
“In the last six months, 100,000 CME certificates have been issued via the MobileCME system,” said MacAvoy. “The response from physicians has been tremendous. Our mobile learning option has obviously fulfilled an unmet physician educational need, so we are working with leading educators to grow the number and variety of course offerings.”
MacAvoy’s presentation during the pre-Congress Medical Education track will address challenges that physicians face to remain up-to-date and the importance of continuing education. He will also discuss the evolution of continuing education and outline additional areas for growth in convenient learning options for today’s mobile physicians.
“The MobileCME learning program is a great concept well executed,” said Los Angeles-based Dr. Howard Goldberg. “It has become a part of my learning regimen in conjunction with attending conferences and taking online courses.”
The MobileCME learning center makes it possible for physicians to take courses on their smart phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) in transit, waiting in line, and even, at their child's soccer game, in addition to more traditional clinical settings. To date, Epocrates offers more than 75 courses in clinical areas such as cardiology, pediatrics, psychiatry, internal medicine and oncology. Each course is an article on a clinically relevant topic followed by a brief test and evaluation, after which the physician can submit for CME credit.
Epocrates developed this unique education program in partnership with the John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Additional content and expertise was provided by other leading educators, including the Health Science Center for CME and the Massachusetts Medical Society, publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal Watch.
CONTACT: Erica Sniad Morgenstern Epocrates Public Relations PHONE: (650) 227-6907 E-MAIL: pr@epocrates.com WEB: www.epocrates.com