In a survey of 2,220 engineers in New Zealand, 73 percent felt the need for more management education and training, including 85 percent of engineers under 40. The analysis also indicated that most engineers spend more than half their time on management work, although few management training courses are specifically designed for them. (SK)

Describes and provides evidence for three propositions for improving professional continuing education: (1) the goal of professional practice is wise action; (2) knowledge acquired from practice is essential to achieve this goal; and (3) a model of learning from practice should be the centerpiece of professional continuing education. (SK)

It is proposed that the continuing dental education curriculum is an appropriate place for the integration of parenteral (including intravenous) sedation into dental training. (MSE)

Physicians and architects surveyed suggested that institutionalizing continuing education and lack of attention to individual needs were reasons for resistance to self-direction. Continuing professional education must link learning to improved practice to overcome resistance. (SK)

According to responses from 37 of 55 continuing education providers in the United Kingdom, the ideal of improving practice through quality assurance (QA) conflicts with pragmatic income generation and participant satisfaction; QA procedures used include participant questionnaires and informal tutor and participant feedback; and primary QA barriers…

Three dimensions of practical knowledge are knowledge how, knowledge that, and tacit knowledge. Six means of acquiring practical knowledge are professional/vocational education, practice, internalizing the rules, monitoring and adapting performance, reflecting, and continuing education. (SK)

Continuing educators have several options for practice: (1) being clear about the nature of their business; (2) adopting a holistic approach; (3) building better preprofessional programs; (4) moving to where learning occurs; (5) legitimizing practical knowledge; and (6) addressing contextual influences. (SK)

Mandatory versus voluntary continuing professional education was the focus of a survey of 87 Australian professional associations (62 responses). Many of the 37 with voluntary policies have a laissez-faire attitude. The 19 with mandatory policies share few common characteristics. Award restructuring, national qualifications, and competency-based…

Compulsory continuing professional education (CPE) is inappropriate because (1) it reproduces conformity and dependency-producing practices; (2) a professional is essentially self-directed and autonomous; and (3) CPE will not reform "unprofessional" professionals who lack lifelong learning attitudes. (SK)

Continuing education has followed the model legitimizing formal, abstract knowledge. Three propositions for developing wise practitioners build on the importance of knowledge gained from practice: (1) the goal of professional practice is wise action; (2) practice knowledge is necessary to achieve this goal; and (3) continuing professional…

Continuing education programs that remain in the safety of objective content may deprive participants of opportunities for dialog, a chance to integrate their lives and work and to develop capacity for relatedness, intercultural communication, and community. (SK)

An interactive videoconference on breast cancer was presented to 277 health care professionals in hospitals. Usable pre/posttest data from 69 indicated a 21% increase in knowledge. Recommendations for videoconferencing include identifying objectives and writing test questions simultaneously and maximizing visual opportunities. (SK)

A group of 88 physicians and 126 diabetic patients were surveyed before and 6 and 12 months after doctors' participation in the Office Practice Environment Negotiations Program. Results showed that teaching physicians how to reorganize their practice environment increased adoption of case management strategies. (SK)

Discusses considerations for developing an institutional policy on conflict of interest applicable to continuing medical education activities. Looks at factors that have created the need for such a policy and provides a working draft. (JOW)

Interventions aimed at physicians' practice setting or reimbursement policy are more likely to effect change than those aimed at changing knowledge or skill, because of their greater relevance and opportunities for practice and feedback. Interventions should consider attitudes, abilities, and economic disincentives. (SK)