Vanderbilt Division of Continuing Medical Education (VCME)
Policies and Procedures effective January 1, 2009
A. Application process
1. Register in the VCME Learning Management System
a. Requires CME Associate to create an online User Profile
2. Submit application materials at least six months in advance of activity start date
a. Includes a completed Application for Sponsorship and Credit Designation of a CME Activity form
with signed cover sheet
b. Includes documentation for performance gap
c. Includes completed/signed Disclosure of Financial Relationships forms for each Course Director
and (content) Planner
d. Includes a preliminary schedule or agenda
e. Includes a preliminary budget (including a list of commercial supporters, if applicable)
f. Close out previous activity (applies to recurring departmentally managed and jointly sponsored
activities only)
3. Review VCME and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) guidelines
a. Requires a meeting between Course Director and VCME staff
b. Requires CME Associate to participate in VCME training
4. Meet the VCME timeline
a. Submit application materials at least six months prior to activity start date
b. Credit may not be approved if application materials are not submitted at least three months prior to
activity start date
B. Course Director responsibilities in a CME-certified activity
1. Develop an idea for a CME activity
a. Identify performance gaps in three areas
b. Research and determine desired results, learning strategies and evaluation strategies
c. Research and determine your target audience and the learning needs of that audience
d. Identify the most effective educational format(s)
e. Determine speakers and topics
2. Work with your CME Associate to submit application materials
a. Respond to content-based questions on the application
b. Provide needs assessment documentation
c. Meet with VCME staff
3. Review presentations as necessary
a. All speakers must complete a Disclosure of Financial Relationships form
b. Assist CME Associate in obtaining disclosure forms and presentations as necessary
c. If a speaker indicates that a financial relationship relative to the content of the presentation exists,
the course director will receive an email from VCME indicating that a review of the presentation is
required
d. Advise VCME of the results of the review by completing and submitting a Conflict of Interest
Review form
e. Discuss results with speaker if a change is required
4. Emphasize to your audience the importance of evaluating the CME activity
a. To determine the effectiveness of the activity in meeting educational objectives
b. To determine if the activity will influence attendees’ approaches to managing patients
c. To determine if proper disclosure was made and conflicts of interest were resolved
5. Support your CME Associates
a. Allow them time off to attend VCME training sessions
b. Recognize the effort required to comply with accreditation guidelines
c. Recognize the time involved in meeting planning and meeting implementation
d. Recognize the time and expertise required to request commercial support
C. CME Associate responsibilities in a CME-certified activity
1. Assist Course Director in the application for CME credit process
a. Create an online User Profile in the VCME Learning Management System
b. Complete all questions on the application related to meeting planning and logistics
c. Attend VCME training
2. Ensure that recruitment materials, i.e., fliers, brochures, emails, meet CME guidelines
a. Utilize the Recruitment Checklists
b. Submit all recruitment materials to VCME for approval prior to distribution
3. Request Commercial Support (refer to section E below)
4. Obtain completed disclosure forms from every speaker
a. Involve Course Director as necessary
b. Submit completed Disclosure of Financial Relationships forms to VCME at least four weeks prior
to activity start date
c. Require presentations from speakers with financial relationships
5. Ensure that on-site materials satisfy guidelines
a. Utilize the Course Syllabus or Handouts Checklist
b. Utilize the Evaluation form
c. Utilize the Documentation of Attendance form
6. Submit attendance data electronically
a. Utilize the Summary of Attendance form
b. Spreadsheets with incomplete data will be returned
D. Issuing credit
1. Attendance data must be submitted via the Summary of Attendance form
a. Data for departmentally managed and jointly sponsored activities must be submitted within two
weeks of activity start date
b. Data for regularly scheduled series, i.e., grand rounds, tumor boards, must be submitted within
two weeks of the quarterly deadlines (April 15, July 15, October 15, January 15)
c. Credit will be issued if data is submitted correctly and in its entirety
2. Credit will be issued if data is submitted correctly and in its entirety; incorrect or incomplete attendance
data will be returned to the CME Associate
a. If the problem persists, the Course Director will be notified
b. If the problem persists, the Division Chief will be notified
c. If the problem persists, the Department Chair will be notified
E. Commercial Support
Applies only if you plan to request commercial support (grants) from entities that produce, market, re-sell
or distribute health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. Grants from non-profit
organizations, including governmental grants, are exempt from these guidelines.
1. Inform VCME of your intent to solicit commercial support
a. List potential commercial supporters on your Application form
2. Request commercial support
a. Reference your Application form for content, budget and meeting planning information
b. Reference Grant Request Information
c. Reference ACCME Standards for Commercial Support
d. Reference Pharmaceutical Grants Point-of-Contact List
3. Require payment to be made to VCME
a. Checks must be made payable to and sent to Vanderbilt Division of CME
4. Advise VCME as requests for commercial support are approved or denied
a. If a request is approved, payment must be sent to VCME for processing
b. If a request is approved, the Letter of Agreement must be submitted to VCME for review, approval
and signature prior to the start of the activity
5. Send VCME copies of financial reconciliations as required by commercial companies
a. Failure to submit your reconciliation in a timely manner could interfere with requests for grants
made by other Vanderbilt School of Medicine faculty and staff
F. Activity close-out
Applies to Departmentally Managed and Jointly Sponsored activities only; this section does not apply to
Regularly Scheduled Series.
1. Submit close-out materials within ninety days of activity
a. Includes copies of on-site handouts or course syllabus
b. Includes summaries of evaluation results, finances and attendance
c. Includes payment of VCME fee
d. All other materials should have been submitted prior to the start of the activity
2. An activity will be placed on probation for:
a. complete lack of compliance in one essential area on the Close-out Review form
b. partial compliance in at least three essential areas on the Close-out Review form
c. failure to obtain all Disclosure of Financial Relationships forms
d. failure to obtain all Letters of Agreement (if commercial support is received)