Correspondence: Carolyn Hodgkin, The Oxford Academy for Professional Health Education, Godstow Court, 5 West Way, Oxford, OX2 0JB, UK. E-mail: Carolyn.hodgkin@theoxfordacademyPHE.org

¹has a degree and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham. She started her professional career in research and development at SmithKline Beecham, then moved into medical education at Ogilvy 4D in 2001, obtaining a Postgraduate Certificate of Education along the way. During her time at Ogilvy 4D, she rose through the ranks and gained experience of a wide range of therapy areas and project types. Her current role is Programme Director at The Oxford Academy for Professional Health Education, an Ogilvy Healthworld company that is dedicated to non-promotional and CME medical education programmes.

Received 27 April 2009; Revised 27 April 2009; Published online 5 June 2009.

Abstract

With the launch of new guidelines for the accreditation of e-learning materials by European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) expected in April 2009, the landscape of CME activities in Europe is set to change. Traditional formats such as meetings and workshops are expected to make way for more digital and interactive approaches to medical education. Some formats, including online training programmes and CD-Roms, have been in mainstream use for several years but a plethora of new digital delivery channels are emerging. Whilst CME providers battle to adopt increasingly novel and exciting formats for medical education, the risk is that the learners and their needs will be forgotten in the stampede. How doctors embrace the digital revolution – now and in the future – will shape the technologies utilised for medical e-learning. Different learning styles will require varied formats and individualised learning, giving doctors the flexibility to learn effectively when, where and how they want. The CME community needs to keep doctors' opinions and preferences at the forefront of its mind if it is to continue to design effective CME programmes in an increasingly complex environment.