By Karen Law, MD, and Juliet Aizer, MD, MPH
As physicians, we have made a commitment to lifelong learning and keeping up new advances in our field. However, the realities of busy clinical practice make incorporating MOC and brushing up on medical knowledge difficult.
The ACR’s CARE modules can help. Unlike costly and time-consuming board review courses, CARE easily fits into your life. Each CARE module can be accessed from any computer at any time. A personalized, user-friendly “learning center” keeps track of your CARE modules and your progress in each module. Modules can be completed one question at time, in segments, or in their entirety — in whatever time is available during the day or night, weekdays or weekends, long stretches or short blocks of time.
Once you select your answer, the immediate feedback provided reinforces the important concepts. You can highlight specific questions to review later, or choose to review the ones you answered incorrectly. The active recall involved in answering CARE questions reinforces knowledge and augments retention. Cognitive science research indicates beneficial effects of testing on retention of information.
In this way, CARE modules help make learning more efficient, and even fun!
Because leading investigators and educators in rheumatology author CARE questions, you can be confident that each module reflects fundamental concepts and important new advances in our field. Each question undergoes rigorous peer review and validation testing, making the CARE modules a trustworthy resource for board review or MOC preparation. They are also great tools for self-study or as a platform for discussion with colleagues or trainees. Additionally, up-to-date references are included with each answer rationale, providing a convenient starting point for further study. This makes CARE a comprehensive educational resource.
Visit the ACR Discovery Center in the Exhibit Hall during the Annual Meeting to try out the CARE program or check out the newest programs, CARE: Lupus and CARE 2015, that are available through the ACR’s online learning center at www.acrlearningcenter.org.