Reflecting its current Joint Accreditation status, IU School of Medicine’s Continuing Medical Education division has changed its name to Continuing Education in Healthcare Professions.
“In recent years, the focus of continuing education in health care has significantly shifted to continuing education for the health care team, emphasizing the importance of collaborative and comprehensive continuing education and the role interprofessional and multidimensional training plays in improving practice and enhancing patient care,” said Bita Zakeri, PhD, director, Continuing Education in Healthcare Professions. “This name change portrays the school’s commitment to continuing education for the health care team, which is something we already practice.”
In support of improving patient care, IU School of Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the health care team.
“Continuing Education in Health Care Professions accurately reflects our focus on holistic education for the health care team,” said Michelle Howenstine, MD, senior associate dean for Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Education in Healthcare Professions. “As noted in our popular national courses focused on education for the cystic fibrosis care provider, over one-half of our learners are from non-physician members of the health care team, including nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers and therapists of all kinds.”
Under the Joint Accreditation guidelines, IU School of Medicine can award credit to physicians, nurses and pharmacists through a single, unified application process and set of accreditation standards. IU School of Medicine can also provide verification of attendance to other members of the health care team, including dentists, dietitians, optometrists, physician assistants, psychologists and social workers.
