2.2 Strategies for continuing
medical education
Continuing education programs must be accessible to rural
practitioners. Distance education methods of education can be used to bring
continuing education to rural practitioners. This includes traditional published
materials, CDs and videos, and new technologies including teleconferencing,
electronic mail, telemedicine and satellite television.
Strategies
2.2.1 Continuing medical education programs can be made
accessible to rural practitioners through:
- locating them in rural regional centres
- making use of distance education methods including modern
information technology
- encourage the development of locally deliverable models
involving the local health care team, example STARS Human Patient Simulator
Unit
- easy access to library facilities and e-mail at rural
health centres
- recognition by continuing medical education and academic
structures of the extra demands on and difficulties for rural medical
practitioners and provision of support to address
these.
2.2.2 Making postgraduate
education available via distance education, so as to allow more remote rural
doctors to pursue higher university studies without leaving their towns or
practices.
2.2.3 Specific tailored continuing education and
professional development programs which meet the identified needs of rural
general practitioners should be developed through a process
including:
- programs developed by rural doctors for rural
doctors
- the provision of appropriate university postgraduate
diplomas and degrees.