Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

CME budgets expire soon: Use it or lose it

Steve Burgess, MD
Physician
December 20, 2021
Share
Tweet
Share

Most physicians receive a budget for CME expenses, and many of those expire on December 31. It’s important to take action now – if you have funds left, there’s a good chance they will be disappear when 2021 ends, and you will then be spending your 2022 CME allowance.

It’s unfortunate that CME budgets typically expire on December 31. This is an incredibly busy time of year, and most of us are not thinking about CME. But that’s the way most employers set up CME budgets. Every organization I have worked for has a very strict rule: CME funds must be spent within that calendar year, or they are forfeited. Per a recent Medscape survey, two out of three practicing physicians are employed, and employers usually set these rules.

Calendar year parameters are even more challenging since COVID hit, as many live CME conferences have been canceled. And most of the live events that have occurred have been considerably smaller than in recent years. Lots of CME funds have not been spent, meaning more will disappear after December 31.

Continuing education is far more important in medicine than in other professional fields. No other area has the incredible amount of research constantly being published, and it’s simply impossible to keep up with all the latest developments. But good CME helps us do that, CME that summarizes recent developments in our practice areas into digestible chunks that we can apply.

I must admit that I’m a bit biased in this regard, as I started a CME company a couple of years ago. But that also gives me good experience. It turns out that sales on December 31 are busier than any other day. People realize that they are going to lose their CME funds, and purchase online courses at the last minute. Our online courses include six months access, so people don’t have to strive to complete the CME right away.

Regardless, as physicians we must strive to stay current in our fields – providing great care for our patients demands that we incorporate learning strategies into our lives. If we don’t, it’s simply impossible that we will provide the best care for our patients. If you have CME funds remaining in 2021, please take some time out to evaluate what CME would be beneficial for you or your patients, and take action before your CME funds expire.

Steve Burgess is a hospitalist and creator, CME Vacations, designed to give participants the ultimate CME “working vacation.”

Hospital Medicine Update and Outpatient Medicine Update are available online or in great vacation destinations, including Florida, the Bahamas, San Diego, San Antonio, and cruises.

To meet the DEA requirement, an online 8-hour course is available, Diagnosing and Treating Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Is life more than breathing and a heartbeat?

December 20, 2021 Kevin 3
…
Next

What Dr. Seuss reminds us about Christmas

December 20, 2021 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Is life more than breathing and a heartbeat?
Next Post >
What Dr. Seuss reminds us about Christmas

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Steve Burgess, MD

  • 13.1 million missing Americans since 1980. Where’s the outrage?

    Steve Burgess, MD
  • Dying after leaving AMA

    Steve Burgess, MD

Related Posts

  • The opioid crisis: Doctors cannot lose hope

    Linda Girgis, MD
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • When we ignore a child’s preventable suffering, we lose a piece of our humanity

    Niran S. Al-Agba, MD
  • How a physician keynote can highlight your conference

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Chasing numbers contributes to physician burnout

    DrizzleMD
  • The black physician’s burden

    Naomi Tweyo Nkinsi

More in Physician

  • Complicity vs. protest: a doctor’s choice

    Patrick Hudson, MD
  • When cancer costs too much: Why financial toxicity deserves a place in clinical conversations

    Yousuf Zafar, MD
  • The hidden rewards of a primary care career

    Jerina Gani, MD, MPH
  • Why doctors regret specialty choices in their 30s

    Jeremiah J. Whittington, MD
  • 10 hard truths about practicing medicine they don’t teach in school

    Steven Goldsmith, MD
  • How I learned to love my unique name as a doctor

    Zoran Naumovski, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why doctors must fight for a just health care system

      Alankrita Olson, MD, MPH & Ashley Duhon, MD & Toby Terwilliger, MD | Policy
    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • How transplant recipients can pay it forward through organ donation

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • Women physicians: How can they survive and thrive in academic medicine?

      Elina Maymind, MD | Physician
    • Why AI in health care needs stronger testing before clinical use [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How hospitals can prepare for CMS’s new patient safety rule

      Kim Adelman, PhD | Conditions
    • Why physician strikes are a form of hospice

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How to transform your mindset by rewiring your brain with positive language [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What is a varicocele and how does it affect fertility?

      Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD | Conditions
    • How profit-driven hospitals fail long-term patient care

      John Corsino, DPT | Conditions
    • Complicity vs. protest: a doctor’s choice

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • How physician burnout and system reform are shaping the future of U.S. health care

      Irim Salik, MD | Policy
    • How nature is inspiring the future of pain medicine

      Varun Mangal | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why doctors must fight for a just health care system

      Alankrita Olson, MD, MPH & Ashley Duhon, MD & Toby Terwilliger, MD | Policy
    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • How transplant recipients can pay it forward through organ donation

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • Women physicians: How can they survive and thrive in academic medicine?

      Elina Maymind, MD | Physician
    • Why AI in health care needs stronger testing before clinical use [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How hospitals can prepare for CMS’s new patient safety rule

      Kim Adelman, PhD | Conditions
    • Why physician strikes are a form of hospice

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How to transform your mindset by rewiring your brain with positive language [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What is a varicocele and how does it affect fertility?

      Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD | Conditions
    • How profit-driven hospitals fail long-term patient care

      John Corsino, DPT | Conditions
    • Complicity vs. protest: a doctor’s choice

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • How physician burnout and system reform are shaping the future of U.S. health care

      Irim Salik, MD | Policy
    • How nature is inspiring the future of pain medicine

      Varun Mangal | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...