In his report to the Executive Council on May 7, 1981 in San Juan, Jerome Winer, M.D., recounted views expressed at the 77th Congress on Medical Education and Licensure that the present system of didactic continuing postgraduate medical education may be phased out. Dr. Winer was Liaison Representative to the Congress, which was cosponsored by the American Medical Association and the Federation of State Medical Boards and was held in Chicago last April 23 to 25.

According to Dr. Winer, “Of particular interest to the American was the view that the present era of medical education may be drawing to a close—an era where preparatory education is followed by a continuing education system fraught with problems. Far more desirable would be a life-long continuous educational process with less sequestration of humanities and social science to the premedical years.”

“Foreseen as another possibility,” he continued, “would be a move away from didactic continuing education to experiential learning that comes more from examining one's own clinical practice (Much as analysts already do.) There may well be less emphasis on attendance and consumer satisfaction in continuing education and more emphasis on whether people acquire and use skills as a result of the education.”