|
The Physician's
Recognition Award and Credit System:
Information for Accredited Providers and Physicians
Introduction
The American Medical Association (AMA)
Physician's Recognition Award (PRA) has recognized physician
participation in continuing medical education (CME) for more than
35 years. Established in 1968, the AMA PRA certificate and the related
AMA PRA credit system recognize physicians who, by participating
in CME activities, have demonstrated their commitment to staying
current with advances in medicine. AMA PRA credit offers a system
to measure and track physician participation in certified CME activities.
AMA PRA credit is recognized and accepted by hospital credentialing
bodies, state medical licensure boards, and medical specialty certifying
boards.
When physicians have accumulated enough AMA PRA
Category 1 Credit, they can then apply for an AMA PRA certificate.
The AMA uniquely and exclusively awards the AMA PRA certificate
to physicians who apply for it. Accredited CME providers may award
AMA PRA credit to physicians who participate in their appropriately
developed and certified educational activities.
Within the U.S., the AMA only authorizes organizations
that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education (ACCME) or by a state medical society recognized
by the ACCME Committee for Review and Recognition to designate and
award AMA PRA Category 1 Credit to physicians.
CME Defined
CME consists of educational activities that serve
to maintain, develop or increase the knowledge, skills and professional
performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services
for patients, the public or the profession. The content of CME is
the body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted
by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline
of clinical medicine and the provision of healthcare to the public.
Eligibility for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
To be designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit,
educational activities must be planned by an accredited provider.
Providers must assure that their activities meet the following criteria:
- Conform to the AMA definition of CME.
- Present content appropriate in depth and scope for a physician audience.
- Conform to both the relevant CEJA (Council on Ethical and Judicial
Affairs) opinions, as well as the ACCME Standards for Commercial
Support, and are non-promotional in nature.
- Address demonstrated educational needs.
- Communicate a clearly identified educational purpose and/or objectives.
- Use learning methodologies and format(s) appropriate to the activity's educational
purpose and/or objectives.
- Use evaluation mechanisms to assess an activity's quality and relevance to
its purpose and/or objectives.
- Include a means for the provider to record the actual credits claimed by each physician participant (physicians are ethically obligated to only claim credit consistent with the extent of their participation in a CME activity).
- Are designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit in advance; activities cannot
be retroactively designated for Category 1 credit.
- Include the Designation Statement in any activity materials that reference
CME, with the exception of "save the date" or similar notices.
* * *
Additional Resources:
Physicians who participate in continuing medical
education (CME) are recognized by the American Medical Association
(AMA) with the Physician's Recognition Award (PRA), which
is the CME standard for licensing boards and specialty organizations
nationwide... www.ama-assn.org/go/pra
The ACCME's (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education)
mission is to identify, develop and promote standards for quality
CME utilized by physicians in maintaining competent skills and incorporating
new knowledge to improve quality medical care for patients and their
communities... http://accme.org
Source: American Medical Association
back
to top
|
