Continuing education in the community hospital

The need for continuing medical education has been growing over the past decade but is largely unmet by, and within, most community hospitals. In this paper the author outlines the development of a systematic, interprofessional, self-directed approach to postgraduate education with a local community hospital. Also described is the format followed in assessing educational needs, evaluating resources, and initiating appropriate and necessary programs. Although care must be taken to avoid too much interdisciplinary involvement solely for the sake of the concept itself, the interprofessional model would appear to meet most educational needs, both individually and collectively, at the community hospital level.