Online CME: Surgery
Last Updated April 18, 2009.

Special Notice!! Looking for reviewers to help keep the List up-to-date.

The sites described on this page are primarily concerned with surgery. You will find additional online CME sites and courses partially concerning surgery at the main online CME site.

ACS Surgery Online Edition
Last visited...2/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours....60 per year.
Awarded by....University of Alabama School of Medicine and Medscape.
Cost...........$264 per year.
Instruction Type...Text-and-Graphics.
Target Audiences...SURG.
Educational material last updated....Monthly.
Financial support...None Stated.

The Online Edition of ACS Surgery: Principles and Practice is the only American College of Surgeons-sponsored textbook on general surgery. ACS Surgery "gives you the information you need to help you perform core surgical procedures more efficiently and to provide current, cost-effective patient care." It covers resuscitation; common presenting problems; trauma and thermal injury; preoperative preparation; operative management; special perioperative problems; care in the ICU; and postoperative management.

Baylor Surgery
Last visited...1/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours...2 courses offering a total of 2.25 hours.
Awarded by....Baylor.
Cost...........Free.
Instruction Type....Slide-Video Lecture.
Target Audiences....SURG.
Educ. material last updated....2008.

Two courses are: A Case of Adolescent Obesity: The Role of Bariatric Surgery; and Sterilization Methods for Women.

Cleveland Clinic Controversies, Choices & Collaboration in Treating Heart Disease
Last visited...2/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD
Credit hours...0.5.
Awarded by....Cleveland Clinic.
Cost..........Free.
Instruct. Type...Slide-Video Lecture.
Target Audiences...CARD, SURG.
Educ. material last updated....2008.
Financial Support...Boston Scientific, sanofi-aventis U.S. and St. Jude.

The first section of a 3-part series on cardiac disease is Atrial Fibrillation: Choice of Therapy, which consists of Ablation vs. Anti-Arrythmic Agents: What is the best therapy? and Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: When is it the Answer?

Cleveland Clinic: Findings from the Department of Outcomes Research and Outcomes Research Consortium (Perioperative Hypothermia)
Last visited...3/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD
Credit hours....4 activities, offering 0.5 or 2.0 hours (total of 5.0 hours)
Awarded by....Cleveland Clinic.
Cost..........Free.
Instruct. Type...Slide-Video lectures.
Target Audiences...SURG, ANES, CRIT CARE.
Educ. material last updated....2008.
Financial Support...Cleveland Clinic Foundation
CME Credit Expires...4/09.

After completing this series, you should be able to: review the effects of regional and general anesthesia on thermoregulatory control; discuss heat balance and how surgical patients become hypothermic; review the consequences of hypothermia and how to maintain normothermia; and identify methods of reducing the risk of surgical infection. Lectures are titled: Non-Pharmacologic Prevention of Surgical Wound Infection; Perioperative Shivering: Physiology and Pharmacology; Prevention and Treatment of Perioperative Hypothermia; and Temperature Monitoring and Perioperative Thermoregulation.

(The) CMF(Craniomaxillofacial) Hyperguide
Last visited...12/2008.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours... About 30 activities offering up to 20 hours per year. 
Awarded by.... Vindico Medical Education
Cost for Credit......Free.
Target Audiences…ENT, OPHTH, PLASTIC SURG.
Instruction Type...Text-and-Graphics, Slide-Video lectures, Slide-Only. 
Educational material last updated....2005.
Financial Support... Stryker.

The goal CMF Hyperguide provides an interactive study tool and educational resource for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons, and Neurosurgeons, Specialists in Ophthalmology, Speech and Language Pathology, Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, and Genetics. Credit is awarded according to how many hours you spend at the site. There is no specific credit for any one activity and no post-test.

Colonial Classic (Colorectal Cancer)
Last visited...3/2008
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Awarded by....Cyberounds.
Cost...........Free.
Instruction Type...Interactive Game.
Target Audiences....ONCO, SURG.
Educational material last updated....2007.
Financial Support...Bristol-Myers Squibb.

The Colonial is an interactive golf game from Cyberounds. It concerns the evaluation and management of colorectal cancer  with special emphasis on adjuvant chemotherapy. Upon completion of this activity you should be able to discuss the role of adjuvant chemotherapy for Stage IIB colorectal cancer; compare and contrast the types of chemotherapy for IIB; select chemotherapy for adjuvant treatment; describe the role of EGFR testing prior to use of EGFR blocking therapy; and describe the role of VEGF monoclonal antibodies in metastatic colorectal cancer.

Head and Neck Interventional (Cyberounds)
Last visited...3/2009
Reviewed by Bernard Sklar, MD.
Awarded by....Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Cost..........Free.
Instruction Type...Interactive Game.
Target Audience....SURG, ONCO, ENT.
Educational material last updated...2007.
Financial Support...Bristol Meyers Squibb.
CME Credit Expires...August 31, 2009.

The Cyberounds® Head and Neck Interventional is an interactive program on the treatment and management of head and neck cancer. Go to the Cyberrounds main page and click on Free CME at our Head and Neck Interventional to enter the program. 

HemostasisCME.org
Last visited...12/2008.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours...About 6 courses each offering 1.0 hour.
Awarded by....FCG Institute for Continuing Education.
Cost for Credit......Free.
Instruction Type... Slide-Audio Lectures.
Target Audiences...ANES, HEMA, SURG.
Educational material last updated...2008.
Financial Support...Various pharmaceutical companies.

You will find 6 CME activities relating to hemostasis and coagulation issues: Congenital Hemophilia With Inhibitors: Treatment of Bleeding; Hemostatic Strategies in Surgery to Optimize Control of Blood Loss; Coagulation Case Challenge; Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitors: Pathophysiology and Treatment; Unexpected Bleeding Diatheses: Diagnosis and Management; and Optimizing Blood Management in Cardiovascular Surgery: Why & How.

Institute for Advanced Medical Education
Reviewed by Janice Flahiff, Medical Librarian.
Last visited...6/2008.
Credit hours...1.0 to 4.0 per course (36 courses offering 53 hours total). 
Awarded by....Institute for Advanced Medical Education.
Cost for Credit....$25 for one hour, but as low as $10 per hour in bulk.
Instruction Type...Text-and-Graphics, Streaming Video, Slide Images.
Target Audiences...OB-GYN, RAD, SURG.
Educational material last updated....2008.
Financial Support...GE Ultrasound.

36 courses in medical imaging. The majority of offerings are in obstetrical ultrasound. Some nice pictures of black-and-white and color Doppler images.

Medscape General Surgery
Last visited...11/2006.
Credit hours...Varies from time to time.
Awarded by....Medscape and many other sponsoring organizations.
Cost...........Free.
Instruction Type...Text-and-Graphics, Text-Only, Slide-Audio Lecture, Slide-Video Lecture and Case-Based-Interactive.
Target Audiences....SURG.
Educational material last updated...New activities posted frequently.
Financial Support...Many academic, specialty, and commercial sources as well as WebMD.
Expiration of CME Credit...Credit for most activities expires one year after posting.

CME activities of special interest to general surgeons. Medscape contains a variety of educational formats:
CONFERENCE COVERAGE - Reports of  advances presented at major medical conferences; typically includes several tracks with news stories, expert interviews, and in-depth topic overviews.
CLINICAL UPDATE - Comprehensive original review article on scientific advances in a clinical topic.
FAST TRACK CLINICAL UPDATE – Narrowly focused original review article on scientific advances in a clinical topic.
CME-LIVE - Real-time online events with streaming video, synchronized visuals, and interactive questions and answers; archived for 1 year.
NEWS-CME - Daily reports of major current medical research articles; 0.25 credits each
JOURNAL CME - Articles selected from a wide selection of conference reports and peer-reviewed journals, including MedscapeGeneralMedicine (MedGenMed).
SPECIAL REPORT CME – Topic-based monthly email newsletter distributed to Medscape’s professional member database by specialty.
INTERACTIVE PATIENT CASES – Original CME activity presented to the physician in an interactive, clinical case-based format. 
CME CIRCLE – Multimedia content certified by other accredited professional education providers, typically from live symposia or monographs, and then posted on Medscape and archived for one year.

MelanomaCare.org
Last visited...4/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours: 10 webcasts and 5 publications, 1.5 hours each activity (22.5 hours).
Awarded by: The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and PharmAdura, LLC.
Cost... Free
Instruction Type... Slide-Video Lecture, audio podcast, Text-and-Graphics.
Target Audiences... DERM, ONCO, SURG.
Educational material last updated...2009.
Financial support... Schering Corporation.
CME Credit Expires...One year after posting.

You will find 10 webcasts/podcasts; the newest are: Melanoma: A Mysterious Disease?; Scientific and Clinical Interpretation of New Data on IFN-a for Adjuvant Therapy of Melanoma; Signal Transduction Inhibitors in Melanoma; Update on histologic and molecular markers for melanoma; and Optimizing imaging studies for baseline assessment and surveillance of melanoma. You will also find 5 text publications on various aspects of melanoma management. You must fax or mail completed test questions in order to receive CME credit.

OR-Live Surgical Video Archives
Last visited...6/2008.
Credit hours...58 activities; most offer 1.0 hour of credit (about 58 CME credits).
Awarded by....Various Medical Schools,
Cost...........Free.
Instruction Type....Slide-Video with Streaming Video clips. Also available as video podcasts which can be saved to computer or iPod (requires additional software).
Target Audience....Multiple Surgical Specialties.
Educational material last updated....2008.
Financial Support...Various commercial supporters.

A set of very nice programs of surgical procedures. Each program combines a didactic slide-video lecture with extensive footage of the surgical procedure. Subject areas include: Cardiovascular or Cardiothoracic, Gastric Surgery, Neurosurgery, OB/GYN, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Orthopedic, Pediatrics, Pulmonology, Radiology, Urology and Vascular. It is now easier to find the presentations that offer CME credit: after registration and login, click on the "ORcme" graphic, right upper part of the home page.

(The) Plastic Surgery Hyperguide
Last Visited...12/2008.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours... Up to 20 hours per year. Credit is awarded according to how many hours you spend at the site.
Awarded by.... Vindico Medical Education
Cost for Credit......Free.
Target Audiences…PLASTIC SURG.
Instruction Type...Text-and-Graphics. 
Educational material last updated….Monthly.
Financial Support... Stryker.

The Plastic Surgery Hyperguide provides an interactive study tool and educational resource for plastic surgeons, plastic surgery nurses, EMTs, and plastic surgery residents. 
Materials are organized into three modules with a total of about 43 different topics:
Craniofacial Trauma, 
Congenital: Cleft/Craniofacial
and 
Head and Neck Cancer Reconstruction
.

Practical Reviews Online in General Surgery (formerly Journalbytes General Surgery)
Last visited...2/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours...36 per year (3.0 per month).
Awarded by.... Johns Hopkins.
Cost..........$299 per year.
Instruction Type...Most is Text-Only; some Audio.
Target Audience...SURG.
Educational material updated monthly.
Financial Support...None Stated.
Expiration of CME credit...Two years after date of publication.

Each issue contains a variety of types of presentations: Literature Reviews; Critical Discussion and Commentary; Vital Topic; Audio Reviews; Tables of Contents from Key Journals; and an E-quiz offering 3.0 CME credit-hours.

PVICME (Pacific Vascular Institute for Continuing Medical Education)
Last visited...2/2009.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours...1.0 hour per course (19 hours).
Awarded by.....PVICME
Cost............$30 per hour.
Instruction Type....Streaming Video.
Target Audience....RAD, SURG.
Educational material last updated....2008
Financial Support...None Stated.

Cases include Follow-up of Internal Carotid Stenosis; Cervical Bruit; One Day History of Left Sided Paresis; Hepato-Portal Evaluation; Lower Extremity Arterial Evaluation; One Month History of Calf Pain on Walking; Ten Month History of Calf Pain on Walking; Lower Extremity Venous Evaluation; Two Week History of Left Leg Pain and Swelling; Sudden Onset of Left Calf Pain and Swelling; R/O Renal Artery Stenosis Secondary to HTN; and Left Upper Extremity Cold & Absent Radial Pulse.

WebSurg
Last visited...6/2008.
Reviewed by...Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours...0.5 or 1.0 per course ( 42 courses offering 41 credit- hours).
Awarded by....WebSurg and McMaster University.
Cost for Credit.....Free.
Instruction Type....Streaming Video, Slide-Video lectures.
Target Audiences....SURG.
Educational material last updated...2008.
Financial Support...Storz, Covidien.

This site focuses on the principles and practices of minimally invasive surgery. Courses feature didactic instruction and streaming video presentations of the surgical procedures. Since my last visit, the site has added 11 lectures (Pediatric surgery, Endocrine surgery, General and digestive surgery, Rectum and anus and Morbid obesity) as well as 7 videos of surgical procedures (a few are: Laparoscopic total extraperitoneal approach for a left inguinal hernia; Laparoscopic proctectomy with stapled coloanal anastomosis; and Endoluminal surgery, Transanal Endoscopic resection of a rectal sessile polyp). 

WoundClosures.com
Last visited...2/2009.
Reviewed by Bernard Sklar, MD.
Credit hours...1.5 hours each (4 courses for a total of 6 hours).
Awarded by....Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation.
Cost..........Free
Instruction Type....Text-Only (pdf).
Target Audiences....SURG.
Educational material last updated...6/08
Financial Support...Covidien.

Four articles, each followed by a 10-question post-test: Scientific Basis for the Selection of Wound Closure Sutures; Scientific Basis for the Selection of Skin Closure Sutures; Scientific Basis for the Selection of Abdominal Fascial Closure Sutures; and Scientific Basis for the Selection of Vascular Closure Sutures.

Return to the Annotated List of Online CME (All Specialties)

This list was compiled by Bernard M. Sklar, MD, MS