SAMPLE FACULTY CONFIRMATION LETTER
This sample letter is provided to assist you with implementing the ACCME Essential Areas
and Standards. This model should be modified to meet your individual needs. All
alternatives must be approved by CPDE staff prior to use.
Dear (
):
Thank you for agreeing to serve on our faculty for the upcoming continuing medical education
activity entitled (Title), which will be held on (date) at the (location). Your presentation,
(presentation title), is scheduled to begin at (time). As discussed, your presentation should be
(time length) and is to be followed by a (time length) period for audience questions. At (time)
the three morning speakers will then serve as a panel, which will be moderated by (name), to
add special insights to the morning activities. This activity will be designated for CME credit by
the VCU Office of Continuing Professional Development and Evaluation Studies (CPDE).
Honorarium and Expenses. As agreed, your honorarium for participating in this activity will
be ($
). A Personal Services Agreement that allows us to process your payment is enclosed
for your use. Expenses also will be reimbursed; therefore, a Travel Expense Reimbursement
Voucher is enclosed, along with a copy of applicable travel expense guidelines. Please complete
and return both of these forms by (date) so that we may process these payments as soon as
possible.
Audience and Objectives. This CME activity has been planned to meet the educational
needs of our expected participants (specialty, geographic location, or practice setting). Please
keep them in mind in preparing your presentation. The (Conference Planning Committee) has
formulated the following objectives which need to form the basis of your presentation. (Or
alternatively, please provide at least two educational objectives for your presentation):
1. OBJECTIVE
2. OBJECTIVE
3. OBJECTIVE
If you have any questions concerning these objectives, need clarification regarding the
expectations of the Committee, or would like to refine the objective, please contact us.
Disclosure. As an accredited CME sponsor, the Office of Continuing Professional Development
and Evaluation Studies (CPDE) requires that its speakers comply with the ACCME Standards for
Commercial Support of CME (copy attached) (see www.accme.org). You are required to disclose
any relevant financial relationship you may have with any commercial interest whose products
or services you might discuss. Should it be determined that you have a conflict of interest as a
result of such financial relationship, that conflict must be resolved prior to your presentation.
To that end, you must complete and return the enclosed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form at
least one week prior to your presentation. Failure to return this form will prevent CPDE from
awarding CME credit to your presentation.
Presentation Content. The information you present about clinical medicine must be
recognized and accepted by the profession or based on evidence that is accepted within the
02/12/16
profession. The Standards for Commercial Support of CME require that your presentation be
free of commercial bias and that any information regarding commercial products/services be
based on scientific methods generally accepted by the medical community. When discussing
therapeutic options, it is our preference that you use only generic names; if it is necessary to
use a trade name, then those of several companies must be used. Further, should your
presentation include discussion of any off-label or investigational use of commercial product,
you are required to disclose this to the participants. Should you determine that you cannot
comply with these requirements or any of the provisions of the Standards for Commercial
Support of CME, please call me as soon as possible.
Location. The (facility) is equipped with all types of audio-visual support systems. Please
inform this office if you require additional audio-visual support.
Syllabus Materials. CPDE takes responsibility for providing uniform syllabus materials for its
CME activity participants. To meet our printing deadlines, please provide copies of instructional
materials no later than (date). Materials must be provided as either PowerPoint slide
presentations or MSWord e-files (preferably by email) or hard copies on 8 ½ x 11 #20 bond
paper. If this is a problem for you, please call us immediately so that alternative arrangements
can be made.
Evaluation. It is the policy of CPDE to conduct post-activity evaluations. These evaluations
ask participants to indicate the appropriateness of presentations to their specific practices, if the
presentations satisfied the stated objectives, if they were satisfied with the faculty
presentations, and if there was any evidence of commercial bias. The results of these
evaluations are used to plan future CME activities and are shared with the faculty.
Once again, thank you for your willingness to participate in this activity.
If we can be of any additional help, or can clarify any of the above statements, please contact
us at (Email and/or telephone numbers.)
Sincerely,
(CME Scientific Chair Name/Title)
02/12/16