title: [Continuing Medical Education in Germany - mandatory and voluntary obligations].
abstract: After 1945 the common medical training infrastructure was broken up into two different political systems. While in the Federal Republic of Germany the structure was based on physicians' self-governance, in the German Democratic Republic medical professional structures were organised by the government. After the unification of the two German states, which took place on October 3, 1990, the centralistic structure was replaced by the system of physician self-governance. Before January 1, 2004, continuing medical education (CME) in West Germany relied on a system of voluntary obligations. In East Germany, though, professional CMEs were compulsory; they were called "obligatorische periphere Fortbildung." Based on 15 expert interviews on the topic of "CME in Germany", the different circumstances and conditions were analysed taking account of the historical background. Only selected professionals with experience in both German states (one with a federal, the other with a centralistic system), were chosen for the survey.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Geschichte der Medizin, Charité Berlin. Boethin@t-online.de
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Böthin
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003284:Contract Services / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003479:Curriculum; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005859:Germany, East; D005860:Germany, West; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D037141:Mandatory Programs / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011057:Politics; D012922:Social Change / Q000266:history*; D035141:Voluntary Programs / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
keywords: Fortbildungspflicht; Physician self-governance; centralistic structure; freiwillige Pflicht; obligatorische Periphere Fortbildung; peripheral professional CME obligations; professional CME obligations; voluntary obligations; zentrale Einheitsstruktur; Ärztliche Selbstverwaltung