To estimate current trends in continuing medical education among obstetrician-gynecologists in relation to the Maintenance of Certification program.
A validated questionnaire was mailed to 1,030 randomly selected physicians of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Participants were asked about current practices and opinions regarding continuing medical education activities. Responses were compared between members mandated for Maintenance of Certification (board certification 1986 or later; time-limited certificate) or not (board certification before 1986; nontime-limited certificate).
Five hundred twenty (50.4%) surveys were completed. Respondents were more often male (57.1%), generalists (87.3%), in community-based (73.8%) group practices (77.2%) with mean (±standard deviation) age 52.4±9.9 years. College physicians mandated to participate in the Maintenance of Certification program were more likely to rely on Annual Board Certification articles as a major source of continuing medical education credits compared with those not requiring Maintenance of Certification (79.9% compared with 44.6%, P