Objective: To determine the participation of Emergency Physicians (EP) in currently available continuing professional development opportunities (CPD), their perception of the usefulness of available CPD and their preferred format or method of CPD desired in the future.
Method: A mailed survey of Fellows of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine with 17 Likert type options on educational methods and qualitative analysis grouping volunteered free text responses.
Results: The most frequent learning methods reported by EP are on the job contact with other clinicians, formal ED based teaching and reading journals, which were also perceived as useful or very useful learning methods by more than 90% of EP. Less than 15% often or always participate on hospital grand rounds, high fidelity simulation, computer programmes or commercially sponsored events. Increased exposure was desired to high-fidelity simulation center skills training by 58% of respondents with nearly 49% of fellows also wanting more participation in international conferences with around 44% of fellows also wanting more participation in international conferences with around 44% desiring more formal teaching in the ED, more formal feedback on performance, and more meetings with other hospital departments. Over 50% of EP want less or no exposure to commercially sponsored dinners or events.
Conclusion: Whilst emergency physicians currently participate in a wide variety of learning methods, the results of this survey suggest EP most appreciate ED based teaching, would like more contact with other departments, along with increased opportunities for simulation based learning and attendance at international conferences.