CME Credits

CME Credit Information for
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Members Participating in the
European Society of Ophthalmology’s
16th Congress, June 9-12, 2007 in Vienna, Austria

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education to physicians. Although the European Society of Ophthalmology’s 16th Congress does not carry ACCME accreditation, SOE and the Academy have agreed to provide a means for Academy members to earn CME credit for their educational efforts. It utilizes a long-standing Academy program, the Contract Learning Project.

This project allows Academy members to identify the area(s) in which they want to increase their knowledge, describe the materials and activities they will use to accomplish that goal, and to request CME credit appropriate to the amount of time they expect to spend in that program. The attached example indicates how Academy members intending to participate in the 16th Congress in Vienna, Austria might apply for a Contract Learning Project. Of course you should revise this example to address your specific situation.

Upon receipt of a Contract Learning Project proposal your request will be reviewed, and if approved you may proceed to follow your plan. It is essential that requests for Contract Learning Projects be received in advance of the Congress. This is because the Academy is not awarding CME credit for course attendance, but for your completion of the activities you have identified to increase your own knowledge.

If you decide to design and request your own Contract Learning Project, you should determine how many hours you intend to spend in course related activities; these should not exceed the number of hours of instruction offered during the Congress. However, additional study in preparation for the course, or as a follow-up, may allow you to request additional credits up to the maxim of 50 credits per approved Optional Contract Learning Project.

The Academy understands that the SOE course will be a valuable experience, and we hope this method of addressing your CME concerns will be helpful. If you have questions about this suggested approach, please contact the Clinical Education Division of the Academy by phone (415.561.8536) fax (415.561.8557) or e-mail (bsolomon@aao.org) as soon as possible.


EXAMPLE: Contract Learning Project
Members wishing to design their own Contract Learning Project should submit a proposal to the Academy describing the learning plan. Once accepted, the proposal constitutes a CME credit eligibility contract with the Academy. Upon completion of the project, participants submit their reports to the Academy evaluating the extent to which the objectives have been met. A $25 fee, payable to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, should be submitted with the report. Upon approval, the appropriate number of AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits™ will be awarded.

Proposals should always include:

• Purpose of the project
• Project objectives
• Resources to be used
• Type of activities
• Projected date of completion
• An evaluation process to determine if objectives were met and if information learned proved useful in your practice
• Estimated number of AAO Category 1 CME credits to be requested

For example, a physician who intends to update his or her knowledge in cataract and refractive surgery might submit the following proposal:

Purpose: To enhance and improve the treatment of patients who are candidates for cataract or refractive surgery

Objective: To learn more about recent developments in cataract and refractive surgery and related ophthalmic clinical topics

Objective: To apply the knowledge to my clinical practice

Resources: SOE meeting,  June 9-12, 2007 Journals, Specialty Clinical Update in Refractive Management, and review of Academy’s Basic and Clinical Science Course, Sections 11 and 14.

Activities: I will review recent articles in three journals and the most recent BCSC Section 11 and Section 14 in preparation for the European Society of Ophthalmology meeting. I will participate in approximately 25 hours of instruction and discussion during that course. Upon my return I will develop and document modifications to my practice based on what I have studied, and implement those modifications

Evaluation: Report on implementation of modifications in procedures for treatment of pediatric patients.

Estimated Credits: 40 (10 hours in preparation, 25 during the Congress, and 5 hours of follow-up with implementation plans).

Time frame: Activities completed and evaluation submitted by 30 June 2007.