Continuing medical education. A survey among physicians practicing in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Patterns of continuing education of 244 physicians practicing in San Diego and Imperial Counties were studied by means of an interview questionnaire. An additional 20 internists and general practitioners were observed for one week in order to check the validity of the questionnaire findings.All physicians reported that they engaged in one or more means of continuing education and about three quarters had attended at least one formal course during the preceding three years. Almost all (99 percent) had attended some hospital-based teaching conference, tumor board or professional society meeting during the year preceding interview and 88 percent had attended at least once each month. Physicians in group practice participated more regularly in continuing education than those in solo practice, but no differences in participation were observed between those practicing in the metropolitan area of San Diego and those practicing in the other areas of the two counties. Different patterns of continuing education by specialty are also reported and the attitudes of physicians toward continuing education are described.