Selecting the right activity format is an important step in planning continuing medical education (CME). The format you choose should align with what you hope to achieve—what changes do you want your learners to make as a result of the education?

Different formats support different outcomes. For example, interactive approaches such as case scenarios, small-group discussions, role playing, skills training, or even gamification often promote greater engagement and long-term change than lecture alone. Be creative, and think intentionally about the best way to achieve your desired impact.

Below are some common activity formats and clarifications about how they are reported:

• Regularly scheduled series (RSS): A live activity with ongoing sessions, planned and presented by your professional staff, and usually with the same group of learners across the series. Report each series for a maximum of 12 months. Examples include grand rounds, tumor boards, and morbidity and mortality conferences.
  • Tip: If the same live content is offered multiple times for different audiences, it is not an RSS. Report each offering as a separate live course.
     
• Enduring Material: An on-demand activity that learners can complete at their own time and place. Providers must supply specific information in advance, including the start date, end date and (if renewed) the review date.
  • Tip: If a live course is recorded and offered for a different audience, then it becomes a separate activity.
     
• Journal-Based CME Activities: Learners read one or more articles from the providers’ own peer-reviewed journal. For example, a provider produces a journal that contains an article that is associated with an activity, and the learners read the article, reflect on the content and complete questions related to the content of the article.
  • Tip: This is different from a journal club, which is an RSS. In a journal club, participants read a published article and then meet to discuss it; if the activity meets accreditation requirements, learners can claim credit for the discussion and learning that occurs at the live activity, not for the article reading.
     
• Learning from Teaching: Recognizes the learning that occurs while preparing to teach (not the teaching itself), and is a personal project with facilitation by the CME provider. For example, a physician preparing to lead a skills workshop may first need to learn the technique themselves.
• Tip: The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has developed tools to help, including Simplifying Faculty Development in Accredited CME, and Tips for Applying the Learning from Teaching Requirements.

The American Medical Association (AMA) has specific activity format types that align closely with ACCME’s, and these must be used in the AMA Credit Designation Statement. More information about awarding of credit and the AMA statement can be found in the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award and credit system booklet.

For additional information, including definitions and Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS) reporting requirements, see ACCME’s Data Reporting Quick Answers to “What kind of activity formats can be reported in PARS?” or contact us anytime at cme@cmadocs.org.