CME: Online Medical Education Could Revolutionize Training in Emerging Markets

A recent article published in Forbes argues that online medical education has the opportunity to revolutionize training for doctors and nurses in emerging markets. Internet-based learning tools “will increase the number of health workers globally and train them to provide high-quality care in places that desperately need it,” writes Will Greene, who runs TigerMine Ventures, an advisory firm that helps companies and organizations in Southeast Asia. Greene argues that medical education in emerging markets “typically suffers from two problems.” He writes: First, medical universities and residency programs rarely have enough qualified instructors, and sometimes lack access to modern curricula and equipment. Second, weak or nonexistent continuing medical education (CME) programs prevent health workers from later keeping their skills sharp. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 7 million additional skilled health professionals are needed globally, “with shortages at crisis proportions in many parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.” According to the WHO, the shortage will only worsen in coming years, but Greene believes many “underestimate the potential impact of new e-learning technologies to enable low-cost medical training at scale.” Indeed, many universities, government health agencies, NGOs, private companies, and doctors around the world are already embracing e-learning. “Medical education typically begins with uni...
Source: Policy and Medicine - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs