[The effectiveness of CME -- quality improvement through differentiated advanced medical education research].

Continuing medical education (CME) increasingly focuses on measurable patient outcomes. Nevertheless, international data on this issue are insufficient, and in Germany the measurable effects of CME in terms of its efficacy and utility for patient care have hardly been subjected to scientific examination. Advanced medical education as a continuation of university education is always based on scientific standards and research-oriented learning. Advanced medical training in Germany therefore requires the implementation of a kind of learning and teaching research that should be geared toward individual training needs, personal motivation and the outcomes of medical care. In addition, the definition of educational goals and the advancement of CME in terms of continuing professional development (CPD) should be considered an important component for a reevaluation of CME.