CME Subcommittee Chair: Arthur Frank, MD, MSPH
GME Subcommittee Chair: Linda Hill, MD, MPH
Review Course Co-Chairs: Eric Evenson, MD, MPH and Gershon Bergeisen, MD, MPH
EPA Task Force Chair: Roy DeHart, MD, MPH
Joint Council of Residency Program Directors Chair: Sindy Paul, MD, MPH
ATSDR Advisory Council Chair: Richard Thomas, MD, MPH

As of this writing, the Education Committee was scheduled to meet by conference call March 13. Meeting by conference call prior to the meetings of the CME and GME subcommittees has proven to be very useful, giving the subcommittee chairs an opportunity to review their activities and receive input from others, and to plan their upcoming subcommittee meetings and activities.

Major activities of the subcommittees and staff since the November 1999 meetings have included:

Continuing Medical Education

- Submitted to ACCME an interim report in December 1999 which included a revised CME Mission Statement. The Executive Committee approved the mission statement in November.

- Scheduled two ACPM workshops from the "Managing Care for Defined Populations" course at PREVENTION 2000. The workshops are fully subscribed and will be videotaped.

- The second CME module on indoor air quality, developed under a grant from EPA, will be presented and videotaped at PREVENTION 2000 and then widely disseminated to state medical societies soon afterward.

- ACPM was a joint sponsor of the Healthy People 2010 conference, "Partnerships for Health in the New Millennium," in January, providing the continuing medical education credits for participants.

- Other Joint Sponsorship activities during 1999 included ASTHO, NACCHO, Virginia Academy of Preventive Medicine, and two meetings of the American Running and Fitness Association. We are now working with ASTHO and NACCHO on their second joint annual meeting in July.

• Modules for ABPM Recertification: The CME Subcommittee developed a template to use for the development of modules for the recertification program. The template is designed to have the recertifying physician (1) complete an educational module (either a "live" course or distance based learning course); (2) complete appropriate required advance reading and pre-test; and (3) complete and submit to ACPM a project relating to their work (such as developing an RFP or drafting a study) and based upon the course materials.

A call for project volunteers has been circulated to ACPM members and several have responded with a willingness to help. The roles for volunteers will include such things as reviewing and revising existing curriculum materials, developing curriculum materials, and serving as mentors.

The CME Subcommittee also approved the application to ABPM for approval of the ACPM Review Course and Weekend Refresher in Biostatistics and Epidemiology as a first step in the recertification process. Using these courses, a recertifying physician would, using the template described above, (1) obtain and complete the course syllabus materials, the list of required reading, and a pre-test; (2) attend the course and meet in a tutorial session with ACPM mentors; (3) submit a project after discussion with the mentors; (4) review with the mentors the critique of the project; and (5) complete a post-test and evaluation. A "pass/fail" designation would be given.

CME credit for these modules will be available to participants and to mentors.

The Subcommittee agreed that ACPM will work toward adapting and developing materials for web based accessibility. It also agreed that there is a strong interest in sessions with a focus on environmental issues, and that the materials being developed in cooperation with ATSDR should be suitable for recertification as well.

At its upcoming meeting the Subcommittee will begin developing guidelines for the mentors to use in reviewing the project portion of the recertification activities.

- The 7th Annual National Workshop for Residency Program Directors is tentatively scheduled for September 22-23, 2000. The GME subcommittee will provide leadership and direction to the planning committee in the development of this workshop.

- Linda Hill led an outstanding effort to develop the first national in-service examination for preventive medicine residents. The first exam was administered the week of December 6-10. Forty-five programs (32 GPM, 12 OM, 1 As) and 209 residents participated.

- A survey is underway to update the residency directory on the ACPM web page.

The 13th annual review course will be held August 26 - 30 in Arlington, VA. Jeff Davis, MD, who will become ABPM Chair in August, will present information on behalf of the ABPM.

The Task Force, chaired by Roy DeHart, has completed Module II. Its presentation and videotaping at PREVENTION 2000 will enable us to complete the development and dissemination process.

The Joint Council met twice in 1999. The directors are working on the feasibility of establishing a match program; residency directors have been called upon twice in the past year to respond with letters to Congress about the GME funding situation for preventive medicine; the College is working with this group to help establish better communications with the ABPM and RRC; and the Joint Council chairperson has served on the planning committee for the ACPM/HRSA annual workshop for residency directors. The chair also attended the Forum meeting on behalf of the residency directors.

ATSDR

With the ATSDR grant we have begun exploring how to put courses on line. This information will be used for the environmental courses as well as for other committees charged with course development.