Information for Preceptors

About Earning Credit for Learning from Teaching

A key concept is that the CME credit being discussed is for learning, learning that is used to teach, not credit for teaching. If there is no learning, or the learning is not used to teach, then it is not appropriate for physicians to claim credit. CME credit is not a reward or payment, it is a recognition/acknowledgement metric intended to note that the physician has engaged in an educational activity which serves 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 phrase “preparation and teaching” means that the learning is taking place in the preparation stage for the purpose of teaching. Neither preparation nor teaching, by itself, is sufficient for the purpose of claiming CME credit. The time spent with the student, utilizing what they (the faculty) learned, is the metric used for determining credit. If the physician does not prepare to teach, and therefore does not learn anything, spending time with students or residents by itself is not sufficient to receive credit. Bottom line, if there is no learning that can be identified in the preparation stage, there is no credit for spending time with students or residents. 

As an example, let’s say a physician has students and/or residents in his or her office and sets some time aside for discussion of a topic related to a special interest on the part of the student, or to a patient seen at a previous visit. If the physician spends time preparing for that conversation by researching the topic and learns in the process, then the physician can claim credit under this new guidance for the time spent discussing that with the student/resident.

Physicians may not claim credit for students following them around and observing for several hours, or for providing the students with feedback on the way to conduct an interview or perform a part of the physical exam if it is all based on accumulated experience over the years.

Accreditation & Credit

Preceptors may claim up to 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per academic year (July - June) for Learning from Teaching Students and Residents.

Accreditation: OHSU is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians

Credit: OHSU School of Medicine designates this learning from teaching activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per 1 hour of interaction with medical students and/or residents/fellows. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity

Questions?

Please e-mail cme@ohsu.edu

OHSU CPD
Mail code L-602
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road
Portland, OR 97239