PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure balanced content in CSEM Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, and fairness and transparency in the selection of faculty for CSEM developed and accredited CPD programs. Faculty includes members of scientific planning committees (SPC), presenters, moderators, authors and other faculty relevant to the CPD activity.

CSEM, as the National Specialty Society representing endocrinology and metabolism and an accredited continuing professional development provider of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, must ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its continuing professional development activities. This policy is based on these applicable elements of the National Standard for Support of Accredited CPD Activities:

Element 1.1: “Every accredited CPD activity must have a SPC that includes representatives of the intended target audience…”

Element 2.2: “A process must be in place to ensure that those responsible for developing or delivering content are informed about … the need to ensure that the content and/or materials presented provide (where applicable) a balanced view across all relevant options related to the content area…’

This policy provides guidelines for CPD developers.

POLICY

CSEM encourages CPD developers to strive for a balanced faculty, considering the following criteria in the selection of members:

• Qualifications and expertise in the topic area based on identified educational need
• Representation of the target audience, considering profession, patient group (adult, pediatric, indigenous, etc.), practice focus/base (academic, community, research), and constituent geographic areas
• Competence in communication
• Effectiveness and experience in education
• Positive reputation in the medical community
• Variety of faculty across the spectrum of CPD activities
• Reflection of diversity of the endocrine medical community, including but not limited to, gender, language, race, cultural background, sexual orientation, age and disability

PROCEDURES

When selecting faculty for CPD activities, planning committee members should:

• Declare any real or perceived conflicts of interest and apply mitigation strategies, as required. Mitigation could include recusal from discussion, selection of alternate faculty, etc.
• Define the target audience
• Outline identified learning needs
• Identify potential SPC members and other faculty
• Consider above criteria in making faculty selection
• Record discussion and decisions in minutes of the SPC meetings or other documentation as appropriate