High users of online continuing medical education: a questionnaire survey of choice and approach to learning.
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing provision of online continuing medical education (CME) and some learners are high users of this approach.


OBJECTIVE
To understand why some learners choose to make high use of online CME.


METHODS
An online self-completed questionnaire sent to users who had completed 30 British Medical Journal BMJ Learning modules.


RESULTS
High users who are younger and more recently qualified appear to have a deeper approach to learning. Their choice of online CME also appears to be unrelated to workload and personal pressures. However, there are also high users, who are both younger and older doctors, who have a superficial approach to learning and this appears to be related to workload and personal pressures.


CONCLUSIONS
Young doctors appear to make high use of online CME, possibly because of their previous educational experiences. Doctors, both young and old, who have a more superficial approach to learning, appear to choose online CME because of increased work and life pressures. Further research is recommended.
Sandars
John
J
The University of Leeds, UK. j.e.sandars@leeds.ac.uk
Walsh
Kieran
K
Homer
Matthew
M
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult