title: CME and the role of the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London. Results of a survey of consultant and trainee physicians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess (a) the views of Members and Fellows of the College on the role of reading general medical journals in continuing medical education (CME); (b) the place of the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London (JRCPL) in relation to seven other general medical journals; (c) the possible need for change in the content of the JRCPL and the demand for a systematic series of articles designed specifically for CME; (d) the extent of home ownership and use of computers and of readers' readiness for interactive teaching and electronic books and journals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Distribution of a questionnaire to all Fellows and Collegiate members of the College, mailed with the JRCPL in May 1995.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were received from 2,600 (26.4% home recipients and 8.4% overseas recipients). Journal reading was rated the most important form of CME. All eight journals listed play a part in CME, the three weekly journals playing the most prominent role. There was strong support for the introduction of a series of articles covering topics systematically as part of CME. Seventy-six per cent of respondents own a home computer and 40% of these have either a CD-ROM drive or full multimedia facilities. Most use their computers mainly as word-processors and few have access to the Internet or E-mail.
authors.affiliation: Publications Department, Royal College of Physicians, London.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toghill
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klär
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D008838:Microcomputers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011932:Reading; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom