Continuing medical education in Maritime Canada: the methods physicians use, would prefer and find most effective

A study of the continuing medical education of practising physicians in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island was conducted in 1979-80 by means of a mailed questionnaire. Most of the responding physicians ranked reading as the method most used to update knowledge (73.3%) and skills (55.7%); courses and informal instruction were in second place for updating knowledge and skills respectively, ranked most used by 9.3% and 17.1%. With unlimited time and funds 38.0% and 20.5% of the physicians would still most prefer to read to update knowledge and skills respectively. However, 35.2% would most prefer to attend courses to update knowledge and 26.9% and 24.8% would most prefer to do clinical traineeships or attend courses to update skills. When asked what method of learning had provided the most impetus to change their ways of managing patients, 42.5% chose reading, 18.8% courses, 14.6% informal discussions and 12.4% formal consultations. Appropriate developments would therefore include improving methods of providing physicians with the best information available when it is needed, removing roadblocks to participation in continuing education programs, matching individual learning styles to programs of learning, training physicians as peer tutors and helping consultants become better instructors through written consultations.