Activity Announcements
All activity announcements must be approved or created by the AnMed CME Coordinator. These announcements, whether in print or electronic format, aim to raise awareness of the activity among the target physician audience. The primary focus should be on the educational content of the activity, with any advertising for unrelated amenities placed in a secondary role. If an announcement references the maximum number of credits for which the provider has designated the activity, it must include the full Accreditation and Certification statements (see below).
Publicity cannot be printed or distributed until verbal or written confirmation is received from the Continuing Medical Education Coordinator that the activity has been approved for credit. A “Save the Date” or preliminary announcement, which does not mention CME, may be released prior to formal activity approval. It is not acceptable to state in any announcements that the application for Category 1 credit has been made or is pending. The final draft of all announcements must be reviewed and approved by the CME Office before being printed.
A “Save the Date” announcement (such as a card mailer with limited space) may state that AMA PRA Category 1 credit will be provided, without specifying the exact number of credits, but only if the provider has already certified the activity. It may read, “This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.”
Required Components for Activity Announcements
To comply with accreditation standards, all formal activity brochures or announcements must include the following:
- Activity or Course Description: A brief statement of what the activity will teach, outlining the objectives the faculty aims to accomplish. The educational needs addressed by the activity can also be stated in the course description, as well as the target audience (typically by listing physician practice specialties).
- Educational Need: This may be included in the activity or course description.
- Learning Objectives: These must be clearly and prominently visible in the materials.
- Accreditation and Certification Statements: These must be used exactly as written and cannot be altered. The total number of credits must be included in the certification statement, which is determined by the content of the activity and the amount of time spent in formal instruction. Breaks and meal times do not count toward the total credits. The statements are as follows:
- Accreditation: AnMed is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
- Certification: AnMed designates this live activity for a maximum of [insert number] AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- Joint Providership: An activity is jointly provided by two institutions or organizations when only one of the institutions is accredited. A commercial interest cannot take the role of the non-accredited partner in a joint provider relationship. The accreditation and certification statement and logo must be listed in all printed announcements. No substitutions are allowed. The AnMed CME Coordinator will be responsible for creating and/or approving all printed materials related to CME credit for joint providership activities.
Syllabus/Use of Copyrighted Materials
Program Syllabus Materials
For all certified Category 1 activities, the handout materials must include specific information and be approved by the Office of CME. The required information includes:
- Coordinating Department/Unit: Clearly indicate which department or unit is overseeing the activity.
- Topic, Title, Date of Presentation: Include the title and date of the presentation to help attendees reference the activity.
- Speakers and Activity Director/Planning Committee: List the names, titles, affiliations, and declaration information for all speakers, activity directors, and planning committee members.
- Commercial Supporters and Entities: Identify all commercial supporters, including educational grantors, exhibitors, and those providing in-kind support for the activity.
- AnMed CME Logo and Accreditation Statements: The program syllabus must include the AnMed CME logo, the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, along with the appropriate accreditation and certification statements.
Additional Elements for Enduring Materials and RSS Conferences
Additional requirements apply for enduring materials and regularly scheduled series (RSS) conferences, though the specific elements are not listed here.
Requesting Handouts from Presenters
CME attendees often request handouts from speakers, especially for clinical topics. These handouts may include copies of the speakers' presentations, bibliographies, abstracts, journal articles, evidence-based guidelines, or other supplementary materials. Activity Directors are encouraged to request these materials from speakers for inclusion in the Program Syllabus to meet attendee needs and provide additional value to the educational activity.