Continuing medical education and primary care physicians in Saudi Arabia: perception of needs and problems faced

Objectives: To study the primary health care physician's perception of the need for continuing medical education, current continuing medical education activities and problems faced. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a confidential, self-administered. and pre-tested questionnaire was conducted. The questionnaire was mailed to 441 primary care physicians practicing in health centers in 4 regions in S audi Arabia. Methods of continuing medical education currently practiced, r easons preventing continuing medical education activities, content of conti nuing medical education as perceived by the physicians and factors affectin g the easiness of keeping up-to-date were included. Results: The overall response rate was 66%. The majority of physicians prac ticed private reading (88%), attended lectures and presentations (59%) and discussion meetings in health centers (56%), as methods of continuing medic al education. The main reasons for not attending continuing medical educati on activities were lack of time (59%), and pressure of work (52%). The majo rity of physicians would like to acquire more knowledge on clinical subject s (pediatrics 81%, emergency medicine 76%, Obstetrics/Gynecology 61% and de rmatology 65%). For the future, the preferred methods for continuing medica l education were clinical experience in hospitals (76%), lectures and prese ntations (70%) and private reading (63%). Physicians from urban health cent ers, from busy health centers and those who have more continuing medical ed ucation activities in health centers had mon difficulty in keeping up-to-da te. Conclusion: The: two important problems preventing physicians working in he alth centers from attending continuing medical education activities were la ck of time and pressure of work. These need to be tackled by planners of co ntinuing medical education programs. Busy physicians and physicians in urba n health centers need more help to keep up-to-date.