Template for Outreach Continuing Education to Professionals Providing Obstetric Care

摘要

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine undertook a statewide effort to present an interactive clinical seminar series in rural communities. This personalized contact in outreach education was intended to be a first step in establishing distance learning in our specialty. Utilization of these combined local and distance education efforts would strengthen or maintain a teamwork effort between our university and rural communities.Why We Undertook This InitiativeMeeting the health care needs of our rural communities is an important role of our medical school. The Strategic Action Plan of our School of Medicine set out in 1999 to be integrally connected with statewide communities. Accountability to our communities involved our school leadership's participation in the education of local providers.Our department undertook an outreach seminar series about obstetrical care to connect with community professionals through interactive education. In doing so, ties with professionals in rural communities would be closer, junior and senior faculty would better appreciate the importance of community outreach, and the impact of departmental funding for outreach education would be enhanced.