Lifelong learning in medical education: from CME to CPD.

Lifelong learning is a concept taken up by governments and educational institutions worldwide to acknowledge the need for continuous learning irrespective of the profession. In the context of medicine, lifelong learning has always been formally considered an ethical obligation of doctors although the term Continuing Medical Education (CME) is more commonly used than Continuous Professional Development (CPD). This article traces the history of continuous professional development from early years through current programs introduced worldwide.