Life-long Learning
The discipline of family medicine will develop a comprehensive, life-long learning program. This program will provide the tools for each family physician to create a continuous personal, professional, and clinical practice assessment and improvement plan that supports a succession of career stages. This personalized learning and professional development will include self-assessment and learning modules directed at individual physicians and group practices that incorporate science-based knowledge into educational interventions that foster improved patient outcomes. Family medicine residency programs and departments will incorporate continuing professional development into their curricula and will initiate and model the support process for life-long learning and maintenance of certification.
Implementation Update (January 2005): This FFM Strategic Initiative was encompassed by 3 on-going AAFP programs: CME, the Task Force on Linkages to Practice Improvement, and the METRIC program. The AAFP’s CME strategy team conducted a comprehensive needs assessment based on the perceived needs of family physicians as reported by member surveys and on findings of national groups. The team has developed a list of “master considerations” for AAFP CME which directs planners to incorporate evidence-based practice guidelines, quality improvement activities, cultural considerations, cost effectiveness, ethical standards, systems improvement, physician/patient communications, professionalism, patient safety, and liability risk reduction. The AAFP Board recently approved the Linkages Task Force vision statement which is, “the AAFP is committed to a New Model of Practice, founded on science that supports education, changes physician practice behavior and enhances the quality of care provided to patients.” In addition, AAFP’s METRIC will provide a new type of CME where physicians learn while completing stages in performance improvement.