Self assessment in continuous professional development: a valuable tool for individual physicians and scientific societies.

OBJECTIVES To assess the appreciation of self assessment (SA) by multiple choice question (MCQ) tests during continuous professional development (CPD) meetings and to evaluate the attitude towards the option of recertification. METHODS A questionnaire was completed at a meeting of the Swiss Societies of Rheumatology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2003 (response rate 94.9% (223/235)). RESULTS 60.9% of members found SA useful to assess rheumatological knowledge by MCQ tests; 71.3% thought it motivating to receive an anonymous feedback; 47.2% wanted an additional individualised feedback; 70.8% asked for SA to be continued every 2 years during CPD sessions; 26.3% favoured the option of recertification with identical standards to the Swiss certifying examination in rheumatology. Physicians in private practice less often chose the option of recertification than physicians employed by hospitals (OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.18). No correlations between the type and duration of specialisation, personal reading time, frequency of attendance at CPD meetings, sex of the members, and the choices made were found. CONCLUSIONS SA by MCQ tests during CPD meetings is highly accepted by Swiss rheumatologists. This reliable, valid, and economic method of learning needs assessment enables individual physicians and scientific societies to plan educational with specific goals in mind.