Making the Learning Continuum a Reality: The Critical Role of a Graduate Medical Education-Continuing Medical Education Partnership

Abstract

A true continuum of learning in physician education, envisioned as the seamless integration of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education that results in lifelong learning, has yet to be realized. Rapid clinical change, evolving systems of health care, and a shift to competency-based training make the continuum and lifelong learning even more critical. Because they function independently, the efforts of Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Continuing Medical Education (CME) have fallen short of the integrated ideal. The complementary threads of accreditation requirements, expertise, resources, and scholarly activities provide an opportunity for GME and CME to operate in a more integrated and coordinated fashion. Our local GME-CME partnership model demonstrates that these complimentary threads can be tied together to effectively facilitate lifelong learning and promote an integrated learning continuum.