Careers in CME

Many people have been asking me about the CME (continuing medical education) industry. Most CME companies (also referred to as medical education and communication companies or MECCs) rely on funds from pharmaceutical companies to develop educational programs. To learn more about MECCs, I'd encourage you to take a look at the North American Association of Medical Education and Communication Companies, Inc., (NAAMECC) website.

There's an old, but interesting article on Medscape titled, "Medical Education and Communication Companies: How Ideal a Fit for Pharmacists?" It was published in 2003 and the world of CME has evolved dramatically over the last few years. Why? Because guidelines have changed and many pharma companies have reduced their funding for CME. Several MECCs (that only focus on CME) have closed recently. In the past, many MECCs used to work on a combination of CME and non-CME activities. These types of MECCs (that develop both CME and non-CME activities) are starting to disappear because of the stricter guidelines imposed by the ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education). So if you're thinking about a non-clinical career, would you jump into the CME industry and join a MECC?