IAMRA to Host Continued Competency Symposium in Chicago

The International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities (IAMRA) will host an international gathering of leaders in medical regulation September 9–10 in Chicago to discuss issues related to continuing competency for health care providers.

Titled “The Symposium on Continued Competency: Balancing Assurance and Improvement,” the event will be held at the headquarters of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), located at 401 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

The event is being sponsored by the ACGME, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (ECFMG/FAIMER), and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).

The symposium is designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of those who have experience or knowledge in developing, implementing, and/or evaluating continued competency interventions, as well as those who are just beginning their career in the field.

Individuals must be an IAMRA member or partner to attend. A group rate at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Hotel will be available.

“One of IAMRA's ongoing goals is to support and encourage members to develop mechanisms for assuring the continued competency of doctors,” said IAMRA Chair Dr. Tebogo Kgosietsile Solomon Letlape of South Africa. “This Symposium will build on preceding meetings and strives to bring together members from around the world who have been on the continued competency journey for some time as well as those just starting out.”

To learn more about the Symposium, please visit www.iamra2019.com.

Source: IAMRA Symposium 2019 website announcement, www.iamra2019.com

GMC Increases Access to Workshops Designed to Help Physicians Trained Outside the UK

The General Medical Council (GMC) is increasing opportunities for physicians trained outside of the United Kingdom to attend free workshops designed to help them assimilate better into medical careers in the UK.

More than 8,000 physicians have attended free half-day “Welcome to UK” practice workshops since they began in 2013, and the rate has been increasing, according to the GMC.

GMC studies show that physicians who attend the workshops gain improved awareness and understanding of ethical scenarios they may face working in the UK, as well as how to apply the GMC's guidance to deliver safer care to patients.

The workshops have also helped physicians improve their communication skills with patients and gave them a better idea of their own learning needs, according to the GMC. Three months after attending a Welcome to UK practice workshop, almost two-thirds of physicians had made changes to the way they worked as a result.

However, the GMC's research has also revealed that once physicians trained outside the UK begin work they have difficulty finding the time to attend a workshop, and that their supervisors are often unaware they are available.

As a result, the GMC has expanded the program, and is now offering evening and Saturday workshops, with Sunday workshops being pilot-tested. The GMC will also work with partner organizations to host workshops. As a result of the changes, the GMC will run as many as five workshops each week, up from three per month when the Welcome to UK practice workshops were introduced.

To learn more, please visit www.gmc-uk.org.

Source: GMC news release, July 26, 2019