Credit from The Oncologist CME Online is granted on a per-article basis (1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ per completed course). In order to earn credits, you must be a registered user of The Oncologist CME Online, answer all the questions for a particular article, and then submit the quiz for scoring and credit, and complete the online evaluation of that course.

The AMA has affirmed that physicians not licensed in the United States who participate in this Continuing Medical Education activity are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Once you have submitted a completed quiz for credit, and have completed the online evaluation of the course, your CME summary page will be updated to reflect the credits earned along with a link to a printable version of the CME Certificate.

Once you have completed and submitted a specified CME quiz, your test score will be displayed along with the questions answered incorrectly or missed, which may require further review based upon your test score.

Yes. A score of 70% or better is required to receive credit for each quiz submitted. An accompanying HINT link is available to direct users to the appropriate area of the article that contains the preferred answer.

The School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. All activities have been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the ACCME through the joint sponsorship of the School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Oncologist.

See CME Accreditation for the complete accreditation statement.

Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
www.accme.org/faq/faq_cme.asp

Continuing Medical Education (CME) consists of educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. The content of CME is that body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of health care to the public.

The broad definition of CME, such as the one found above, recognizes that all continuing educational activities, which assist physicians in carrying out their professional responsibilities more effectively and efficiently, are CME. A course in management would be appropriate CME for physicians responsible for managing a health care facility; a course in educational methodology would be appropriate CME for physicians teaching in a medical school; a course in practice management would be appropriate for practitioners interested in providing better service to patients.

Not all continuing educational activities in which physicians may engage, however, are CME. Physicians may participate in worthwhile continuing educational activities, which are not related directly to their professional work, but these activities are not CME. Continuing educational activities, which respond to a physician's non-professional need or interest, such as personal financial planning, and appreciation of literature or music, are not CME. (amended 11/99)

CME providers are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to assure physicians and the public that CME activities meet accepted standards of education.

In existence since 1981, the ACCME is an independent accreditation body for institutions and organizations that sponsor CME for physicians. The purpose of the ACCME is "the identification, development, and promotion of standards for quality CME utilized by physicians in their maintenance of competence and incorporation of new knowledge, in order to improve quality medical care for patients and their communities."

There are seven member organizations of the ACCME:

1. American Board of Medical Specialties;
2. American Hospital Association;
3. American Medical Association;
4. Association of American Medical Colleges;
5. Association for Hospital Medical Education;
6. Council for Medical Specialty Societies; and
7. Federation of State Medical Boards of the U.S.

For more information on the ACCME, visit their website: www.accme.org.

Accreditation is granted on the basis of the sponsor's demonstrated ability to plan and implement CME activities in accordance with the ACCME Essentials.

The ACCME requires accredited sponsors to state, in very specific terms, the source of their accreditation either from the ACCME itself or from a recognized state accreditor. This statement is usually included in the promotional materials and on the activity materials. In addition, look for the credit designation statement on promotional and activity materials. This most common credit designation is the American Medical Association's Physician's Recognition Award (AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™). For more information on AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, visit the AMA's website at www.ama-assn.org or call the AMA's Office of Physician Credentials and Qualifications at 312-464-4665.

An updated table of state-by-state CME requirements is maintained by the AMA.