• Accreditation Information
• Course Director Responsibilities
• Industry Grants
• Disclosure
• Policies and Procedures

• Privacy Policy
• AMA Physician's Recognition Award
• Category 1 vs. Category 2 Credit
• 2007-2008 Grand Rounds Renewal
• Grand Rounds Administration
• Formal Course Web Administration

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Accreditation status may also be verified at the ACCME website.

In order to maintain compliance with ACCME policies and procedures including the Standards for Commercial Support, we have developed processes which we follow to certify all programs.

If you are seeking AMA PRA category 1 credit or CEU’s for the following types of activities, we ask that you contact us early in the planning process and prior to any marketing activities or curriculum development:

Formal courses of any length
Series activities or grand rounds
Enduring materials or self-study activities
Live internet or internet self-study activities
Visiting Fellowships

Once you contact us, we will arrange a telephone planning meeting with CCEHS administration. This telephone call will enable us to ascertain the needs assessment and planning requirements necessary to provide certification for the activity. We will ask about objectives, intent of the program, objectives, faculty and budget assumptions. This call also provides us the opportunity to explain the processes we follow during the certification process. Click here for an example of the processes we follow to certify a Formal Course.

Course directors are responsible for assuring that the educational activity is educationally sound, free of commercial influence and fiscally responsible. Specific responsibilities include:

• Selecting and confirming faculty, overseeing curriculum development, and assuring that the format supports the educational goals of the program.
• Verifying that faculty are competent in the subject area and aware of the course objectives and needs of the target audience.
• Assuring that faculty relationships with industry are disclosed to participants prior to the educational activity.
• Ensuring that all presentations are free of commercial bias. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education encourages the use of generic names Any mention of trade or brand names should include all products within a class of pharmaceuticals or devices. In addition, course faculty may not promote products, books, or publications in which they have a commercial interest.
• Informing faculty that they must disclose experimental and off-label uses to participants.
• Assuring that there is no marketing or other sales activity in the room in which the activity is conducted.
• Precluding commercial interests from participating in curriculum planning activities or faculty selection. Commercial entities are permitted to submit a list of potential speakers but it is the responsibility of the course director to select course faculty on the basis of their academic, educational and clinical credentials.
• Assuring that all budget assumptions and honoraria payments are reasonable and comply with all organizational policies. Any honoraria over $1500 must be justified in writing and is subject to review. Payments to UPMC staff and University of Pittsburgh faculty are to be made to their respective departments unless approved by the department chair or appropriate administrator for direct payment to the individual.
  

It is the policy of the UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences (“CCEHS”) to comply with the UPMC Industry Relationship Policy and University of Pittsburgh Industry Relationship Policy, http://www.coi.pitt.edu/IndustryRelationships/index.htm, including the provision that Industry Support must be negotiated through CCEHS, CCEHS Industry Support Policy.   All programs must be offered for educational and scientific purposes only.  All programs must have an academic or clinical unit within one of the institutions assuming responsibility for the scientific, educational, and financial integrity of each program (“academic sponsor”).  

All programs must comply with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of Educational Programs (or other similarly rigorous, applicable standards required by other health professions) including the following provisions:

1. All funds and In-kind donations from industry (all sources other than governmental agencies) must be in the form of an educational grant accompanied by an agreement.
2. Industry support cannot be accepted for social events.
3. Industry cannot pay faculty directly for travel or honoraria and they cannot directly pay for meals or social events associated with an educational program.
4. Industry cannot pay for or subsidize tuition, lodging, or other expenses for course participants or their guests.
5. The program cannot promote, either directly or indirectly, the pecuniary interests of the company or other commercial entities.
6. Solicitation of exhibit support must be in compliance with the CCEHS Exhibitor Policy.

Course directors and planners of educational programs desiring the use of industry support grants should submit the applicable request form to ccehsgrants@upmc.edu.   

• Grant Solicitation Form (Non-Accredited Educational Program)
• Grant Solicitation Form (Accredited Educational Program)
• Programs sponsored by other institutions outside of the UPMC or University of Pittsburgh

CCEHS should receive your request information in complete form three months before the date of the program.  Information received later than this date, jeopardizes the likelihood that all standards will be met for execution of commercial support grant agreements and even the possibility of whether or not the grantor’s funds have been depleted. 

Disclosure from all presenters and planning committee members (if appropriate) must be obtained using the CME form provided. This must occur prior to the course and must be obtained in enough time to create the course handout that all participants will receive. In addition all conference faculty members including moderators and organizing committee members, not including UPMC or University of Pittsburgh faculty or staff, must submit a curriculum vitae. Disclosures and CVs must be submitted to the CME office with the handout for review.

For the current CCEHS Disclosure Form, please click here.

The Center for Continuing Education has developed a variety of policies and procedures to assure compliance with ACCME requirements:

• For all activities receiving commercial support, a pre-course and final budget must be submitted for approval.
• All promotional materials must be submitted to the CCEHS prior to distribution.
• Processes for receipt and management of funds must be approved by the CCEHS.
• The CCEHS will develop a plan for monitoring the compliance of each activity.
• Certification may be withdrawn at any time if serious violations of ACCME standards are identified.
• Required documentation must be submitted to the CCEHS on a timely basis.
• Participant credits will not be entered into the CCEHS data base until all required information has been received.
• The CCEHS will provide educational and regulatory consultation to assist the course director and other stakeholders in assuring that activities are in compliance with ACCME and other requirements. The CCEHS will assure that it is in good standing with the ACCME.
• The CCEHS will conduct its responsibilities in an efficient and professional manner.
• Credit transcripts will be made available to participants through the CCEHS web site at no charge.

Course directors may be interested in the following resources:

• Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education Essentials and Standards and policies
• AMA Physician Recognition Award requirements
• AMA guidelines for gifts to physicians
• PhRMA code
• HHS OIG Guidance Statement
• PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals

AMA PRA certificate with commendation for self-directed learning

3-year certificate: 150 hours
60 credits Category 1
60 credits Category 2
30 credits Category 1 or 2

2-year certificate: 100 credits
40 credits Category 1
40 credits Category 2
20 credits Category 1 or 2

1-year certificate: 50 credits
20 credits Category 1
20 credits Category 2
10 credits Category 1 or 2

Reading is not reportable as Category 2 for the certificate with commendations.

AMA PRA standard certificate
3-year certificate: 150 credits
60 credits Category 1
90 credits Category 1 or 2

2-year certificate: 100 credits
40 credits Category 1
60 credits Category 1 or 2

1-year certificate: 50 credits
20 hours Category 1
30 hours Category 1 or 2

Reading is reportable as Category 2 for the standard certificate.

Requirements for Category 1 are set with the more traditional/formal type of learning activity in mind. These requirements stipulate that the educational content of the activity must be specifically defined; this includes identification of the curriculum and the development of measurable educational objectives. The traditional lecture format is the ideal example of a Category 1 type of activity.

Category 2 activities are self-designated by those applying for the PRA. In order to determine the number of Category 2 credits to be declared, physicians should record the actual number of hours spent in the learning activity. Category 2 credits do not need to be documented or verified by an external party. It is recommended that physicians maintain on-going records of these activities in preparation for submission of information for the Physician's Recognition Award. Physicians may self report Category 2 credit information on the CCEHS Credit Transcript by using the following information in the How to Add/Modify Credit Transcript tutorial (please click here). Please note that added information to your transcript will appear in a section of the transcript noted as unauthenticated credit from the CCEHS.

*Learning experiences that are not designated Category 1 and are not included in the reading requirement can be claimed for Category 2 hours, including:

• Consultation with peers and medical experts
• Developing and reviewing quality assessment data
• Use of electronic databases in patient care
• Use of enduring materials
• Small-group discussions
• Self-assessment activities
• Journal club activities not designated AMA PRA category 1
• Teaching health professionals
• Medical writing
• Teleconferences
• Preceptorships
• Lectures, seminars and workshops not designated for credit

For more information about the AMA PRA, please call the AMA at 312-464-4664.

• EvaluationTemplate-Large/Small Grand Rounds
• EvaluationTemplate-CaseConference
• EvaluationTemplate-Quality Committee
• Series Recertification Questionnaire
• Information Sheet
• Information Sheet (Joint Sponsors Only)
• Presenter Disclosure Form
• Flyer Template
• How to obtain credit transcript CME FAQ