Factors affecting attendance rate to continuing medical education activities in health directorate- Iraq 2013

Abstract

Background: attending to continuing medical education (CME) activities in Kerbala health directorate affected by different motivations & barriers; individual, structural and organizational. So assessment the attending rate will be helpful to highlight on these factors.Objectives:(1)Assessment the attending rate into CME activities in Kerbala health directorate. (2) barriers & motivations to physicians acquiring the skills and engaging in the CME. (3) identify a general suggestions to improve the attendance and propose solutions to better prepare physicians for ongoing self-assessment and lifelong learning.Method: semi-structured descriptive cross sectional study carried out from 22^nd of June to 30^th of December 2013 at kerbala health directorate, the study sample was 203 specialist doctors, from 6 hospitals &6 administrative departments. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program version 17 and chi square test used for data analysis, and p-value= 0.05 considered statistically significant. Result:94.1% was regular & irregular attending rate, males more regular than females, hospital working more regular attending, as long as the physicians were approached CME activities with; different strategies, external motivations, uses multiple new technologies to learn,  setting curriculum, presence of assessment & evaluation, fixed policy, budget, minimize structural & organizational barriers the attending rate would be increased.Conclusion: high attendance rate with poor efficiency & competence of specialist doctors in Kerbala health directorate into CME, participation need mixed external & internal motivating factors, different approaches, well organized planning activities by setting curriculum,  assessment, evaluation, budget, fixed policy, minimize managerial barriers with suitable timing, place & provide incentives.

Key words: assessment, attending rate, motivations & barriers, postgraduate, CME, policy, lifelong learning, medical educator