The Scheme for the Maintenance of
Professional Competence and Standards for the Medical Profession was
first introduced and officially launched by the Ministry of Health,
Brunei Darussalam in December 1998. A body was therefore set up to
implement and monitor Continuing Medical Education (CME) in this
country. The prime aim of the Scheme was to ensure that medical and
dental practitioners maintain and improve their professional competence
and standards by undertaking compulsory CME activities.
Participation of the CME program is
compulsory for all medical and dental practitioners, both in government
and private institutions in this country. The Scheme runs on an annual
basis. The Scheme begins on 1 September of every year and ends on 31
August of the next year. The Scheme operates on a credit point system
and the current credit requirement is
a minimum of 30 points a year.
The Scheme for the Maintenance of
Professional Competence and Standards for the Medical Profession,
Ministry of Health comprises the National CME Committee, which oversees
all CME activities. The National CME Committee is assisted by Hospital
and Institutional CME Subcommittees or Coordinators at each hospital or
institution.
Categories of CME activities
Only activities related
to patient care, either in the setting of clinical practice or public
health, are considered for the purposes of CME. A diverse programme of
activities is available for the practitioner to choose from, so that no
practitioner should face difficulties acquiring the minimum number of
credit points required.
The following activities are recognized as appropriate for CME:
- Attendance at clinical meetings, including case
presentations with discussions, radiology meetings, teaching rounds and
journal club;
- Attendance at lectures, seminars, workshops, courses, symposia and conferences;
- Any other activity which is not otherwise mentioned, but requires prior accreditation by the CME Committee.
The following activities on teaching and research are recognized for award of credit points:
- Teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the
field of medicine, dentistry, nursing or allied health professionals, in
the form of lectures, discussions, tutorials or teaching rounds;
- Presentation of a paper or delivery or a lecture in clinical
meetings (including journal club), seminars, workshops, courses,
symposia or conference;
- Delivery of a lecture in public forum or media talk-show;
- Publication of original work in medical journals;
- Any other activity which is not otherwise mentioned, but requires prior accreditation by the CME Committee
The following activities on clinical audits are recognized for award of credit points:
- Attendance at clinical audit, morbidity and mortality meetings
- Undertaking projects related to quality assurance
Further information can be obtained from the CME Committee, Medical Education Centre, Level I Car Park, RIPAS Hospital.
Tel: 224 2424 Ext 7527
E-mail:
ripasmec@yahoo.com
