Emergency Medicine Continuing Education Forum
Value CPD in Emergency Medicine, by consultants, for consultants
One day. Over seven hours of quality CPD. No London hassle and expenses
2009: How it began...
A friend - an emergency physician from the USA - was coming over to teach on an ATLS course with me. He was planning to fly in a couple of days early, to allow time to recover from jet lag. As one of these days was a Wednesday, when my department had its academic morning, we figured that we could make use of the opportunity to have him do a presentation on emergency medicine in the USA.
My consultant colleagues thought that this was a great idea. However, with the exception of myself and a couple of others, they were all going to be away that morning, with teaching commitments, preparing for a late shift, recovering from one, or for other reasons. It was going to be a small audience. It would have been embarrassing to have so few of us attend a lecture by an overseas speaker, I thought. I started asking colleagues from around the region whether they were interested in coming over to join us that morning.
They, too, thought it was a great idea, but one lecture was not enough to get them to drive all that way... "What else is on," they wanted to know. The message was that it would take at least 3 hours of CPD to make them show up.
I sent out a few e-mails to some good local speakers, left a few phone messages, then promptly left the scene for a couple of weeks, with no access to e-mail. I came back to find my Inbox flooded with good offers and suggestions, enough to fill a day and a half with quality presentations.
Among the e-mails was one from a colleague who said he had a great idea for a talk, but could not make the date. He pointed out how the date was September 9, 2009 - "9-9-9," he called it. Unfortunately, 9 was his unlucky number. I had not noticed the numeric coincidence until that moment. While 9-9-9 was unlucky for him, it made for quite a catchy and EM-related title and appeared to be a lucky number for me. The event was thus titled 9-9-9 Emergency CPD.
My consultant colleagues thought that this was a great idea. However, with the exception of myself and a couple of others, they were all going to be away that morning, with teaching commitments, preparing for a late shift, recovering from one, or for other reasons. It was going to be a small audience. It would have been embarrassing to have so few of us attend a lecture by an overseas speaker, I thought. I started asking colleagues from around the region whether they were interested in coming over to join us that morning.
They, too, thought it was a great idea, but one lecture was not enough to get them to drive all that way... "What else is on," they wanted to know. The message was that it would take at least 3 hours of CPD to make them show up.
I sent out a few e-mails to some good local speakers, left a few phone messages, then promptly left the scene for a couple of weeks, with no access to e-mail. I came back to find my Inbox flooded with good offers and suggestions, enough to fill a day and a half with quality presentations.
Among the e-mails was one from a colleague who said he had a great idea for a talk, but could not make the date. He pointed out how the date was September 9, 2009 - "9-9-9," he called it. Unfortunately, 9 was his unlucky number. I had not noticed the numeric coincidence until that moment. While 9-9-9 was unlucky for him, it made for quite a catchy and EM-related title and appeared to be a lucky number for me. The event was thus titled 9-9-9 Emergency CPD.
9-9-9 Emergency CPD
This first event was held at UHCW, Coventry, and was quite a success. 65 of us were there for it. To suit my short attention span, I chose topics of the broadest spectrum possible. I discovered that most people expected there to be a "theme", so, typical for me, I decided to do the opposite and not have one. It seemed to work well.
As they were leaving, a number of people asked when the "next one" was going to take place. I had not planned on a "next one" and still did not think that I will have the time and energy to keep it going. But then, over the next few days and weeks, feedback came in and it was very positive. People wanted more. I decided that it could be an annual event.
The obvious choice for a date for the 2010 event was October 10. That turned out to be a Sunday... And if there could not be a catchy number pattern in the title, another name was required. A few discussions later, having decided to retain the non-theme theme, the focus on consultants, the general format of the day and anything else which worked, the title of EMCEF was also arrived at. I can't remember now who actually came up with it, but it does roll off the tongue nicely...
As they were leaving, a number of people asked when the "next one" was going to take place. I had not planned on a "next one" and still did not think that I will have the time and energy to keep it going. But then, over the next few days and weeks, feedback came in and it was very positive. People wanted more. I decided that it could be an annual event.
The obvious choice for a date for the 2010 event was October 10. That turned out to be a Sunday... And if there could not be a catchy number pattern in the title, another name was required. A few discussions later, having decided to retain the non-theme theme, the focus on consultants, the general format of the day and anything else which worked, the title of EMCEF was also arrived at. I can't remember now who actually came up with it, but it does roll off the tongue nicely...
The rest is history
EMCEF 02 was held on October 6, 2010, with 85 participants. After that, continuing with word-of-mouth advertising (EMCEF does not formally advertise - word-of-mouth is what we rely on) and with more people joining the mailing list, it began to look like more than one event annually could be sustained. Further development was driven by the aspirations to be able to provide at least half of the required 50 annual CPD hours and to have our own "Midlands event".
2011 thus had three EMCEF events. In 2012 we had the first EMCEF event with over 100 participants. In 2013 EMCEF metastasised to QEH, Birmingham. We also broke the 150 participant barrier... We also almost broke the venue! At least in terms of having a sufficient time for everyone to get their tea and coffee at breaks, EMCEF was becoming too big for the facilities we had available. Thus, in 2014, the busier autumn date was split into two, with the aim of limiting numbers.
2014 accommodated a total of 430 participants over the four events. Among these were the first cohort of participants who were able to record over half of their CPD requirement for the year through EMCEF alone. In 2015 we registered a total of 482 EMCEF participants, at an average of over 120 per event. In 2016 the average was 110.
2011 thus had three EMCEF events. In 2012 we had the first EMCEF event with over 100 participants. In 2013 EMCEF metastasised to QEH, Birmingham. We also broke the 150 participant barrier... We also almost broke the venue! At least in terms of having a sufficient time for everyone to get their tea and coffee at breaks, EMCEF was becoming too big for the facilities we had available. Thus, in 2014, the busier autumn date was split into two, with the aim of limiting numbers.
2014 accommodated a total of 430 participants over the four events. Among these were the first cohort of participants who were able to record over half of their CPD requirement for the year through EMCEF alone. In 2015 we registered a total of 482 EMCEF participants, at an average of over 120 per event. In 2016 the average was 110.
Where is EMCEF heading?
Now in its 14th year, EMCEF is still most certainly guided by the wishes of the consultants who attend. It is well-placed to provide a cost-effective option for CPD for people in the middle of the country, without the need to travel to London or else where and the expense this would incur. It will also provide speaking opportunities and a skeleton onto which additional activities may be built, such as ultrasound workshops.
EMCEF, along with other educational events based in the Midlands and adjacent regions, can form the nucleus of a larger structure which will support the growth of CPD opportunities and activities.
With the whole of the middle of the country in mind, it is likely that EMCEF will run conferences in venues other than just Stoke, Coventry & Birmingham. Any ideas in this respect are welcome, as are any other innovations, recommendations & suggestions, including offers to host EMCEF, to deliver presentations or nominations of speakers who would suit the forum. Please use the CONTACT section of this website to bring these ideas to my attention.
EMCEF, along with other educational events based in the Midlands and adjacent regions, can form the nucleus of a larger structure which will support the growth of CPD opportunities and activities.
With the whole of the middle of the country in mind, it is likely that EMCEF will run conferences in venues other than just Stoke, Coventry & Birmingham. Any ideas in this respect are welcome, as are any other innovations, recommendations & suggestions, including offers to host EMCEF, to deliver presentations or nominations of speakers who would suit the forum. Please use the CONTACT section of this website to bring these ideas to my attention.