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Earn Free Continuing Medical Education Credit Online

I*CARE offers free online CME credit through video courses that focus on patient-doctor communication. CME Certificates will be provided within 10 business days of completion.

How to Obtain Free CME Credit

  • Select the course you wish to complete.
  • Read the CME information that precedes the set of videos in the course. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education guidelines require that you read the CME Information before viewing the videos for CME credits.
  • View all the videos in the course.
  • Complete the registration form, course evaluation and post test found after the last video in the course on the right side of the page and fax to the number specified on the registration form or you may scan it and e-mail it to: SECantu@mdanderson.org.
    • MD Anderson health care professionals will be e-mailed confirmation of CME credit and this will be reflected on their MD Anderson CME transcript.
    • If you are not an MD Anderson health care professional, a certificate of completion will be mailed to you from our CME office within 10 business days of completion (713-792-5357).

We recommend that you complete Fundamental Principles in Communication before moving to Managing Difficult Communication.

Please address questions about this CME program to Cathy Kirkwood, M.P.H., project director, I*CARE, at icare@mdanderson.org.

European School of Oncology e-sessions - See site for instructions on how to apply for CME credit.

Fundamental Principles in Communication    Top of the page

Basic Principles in Communications

Basic Strategies

In this course, you'll learn about four useful communication strategies: CLASS, SPIKES, EVE and CONES.
(13 videos - 1 hour 53 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-Verbal Communication

Dr. Robert Buckman discusses techniques for effectively using non-verbal communication. You will find how paying attention to non-verbal behavior in the clinical encounter can help you with the messages that you send to others.
(1 video - 24 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Managing Difficult Communication    Top of the page

Accreditation/Credit Designation for Managing Difficult Communication Modules, Excluding Module #4

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 8.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This enduring material has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 8.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM in medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

You may claim AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM as indicated for each individual module.

Mr. Carter: Patient in Disbelief or Denial

Difficult Communication Module 1

Mr. Carter - Disbelief/Denial

In the following interactions with Mr. Carter, you will get to follow him throughout the course of his illness by way of observing the interaction between him and his oncologist at four stages of his disease: at his initial diagnosis, at a well-patient follow-up, at a point of disease recurrence and transition to palliative care, and at the end of life.
(8 videos - 41 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Mrs. Anderson

Difficult Communication Module 2

Mrs. Anderson - Clinical Trial/Recurrence/End of Life

Mrs. Anderson has been referred to a medical oncologist without much explanation for the reason. She is a candidate for a clinical trial comparing three different adjuvant therapy regimens. Here the doctor is seen discussing the clinical trial and then later in her illness dealing with recurrence and end of life issues.
(6 videos - 68 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Mrs. Wright

Difficult Communication Module 3

Mrs Wright - Serious Illness/Sensitive Discussions

When we first meet her, Mrs. Wright has been diagnosed with colon cancer, and has had her initial surgery. She arrives at the oncologist's office two weeks after her surgery, unaware of the seriousness of her disease, and unaware that she will require further treatment. View how the oncologist handles this and other sensitive communication during the course of her illness.
(2 videos - 46 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Crossroads

Difficult Communication Module 4

NOTE: This video is in addition to modules 1-3 and 5-8 and has separate CME forms.

This module will show you a patient/physician interaction in which several choice points occur. These are points at which the content is emotionally laden and where the type of response the physician chooses can change the course of the interview and the quality of the interaction.
(10 videos - 55 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

An Error has occurred

Difficult Communication Module 5

An Error has Occurred
I'm Going To Mexico
My Mother is Not to be Told
Don't Give Up on My Mother

Here you will see four videos dealing with difficult communication:
  • The physician must inform the patient's son that she received the wrong dose of chemotherapy.
  • The patient states she will seek alternative therapy.
  • The patient's son says his mother is not to be told that she has cancer. The son will be translating for the doctor.
  • The patient's son is concerned that his mother's treatment plan has become palliative rather than curative.
    (8 videos - 50 minutes)
This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM: begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Your Father has Died

Difficult Communication Module 6

Your Father Has Died
I Will Not Take Tamoxifen
Discontinuing Ventilation
Euthanasia

In these four videos you will see:
  • The patient's daughter is informed that her father has died unexpectedly. The physician hasn't met the daughter and isn't the patient's physician.
  • Mrs. Adler is a good candidate for tamoxifen, but says she will not take it.
  • The physician must tell Mr. Eden's family that continued mechanical life support is no longer appropriate.
  • The patient makes a direct request for information about euthanasia.
    (8 videos - 51 minutes)
This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM: begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Difficult Communication Module 7

How Much Time Have I Got
Patient Is Angry
Telephone Conversations

These three videos show:
  • Mr. Kerr has been recently diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung and wants to know if he should go ahead with the purchase of a condo.
  • The patient is angry because he found the Barium Enema uncomfortable and degrading.
  • Three different types of conversations in which information about an abnormality is communicated over the telephone.
    (8 videos - 35 minutes)
This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM: begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Genetic counseling

Difficult Communication Module 8

Genetic counseling is a topic of major interest to many patients who want to know if they're at increased risk. Here's an example of how a practitioner can assess the need and make a referral for genetic testing. The patient is then interviewed by a genetic counselor and you can watch the disclosure of both positive and negative test results.
(5 videos - 67 minutes)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM: begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

I*CARE Achieving Communication Excellence    Top of the page

Achieving Communication Excellence (ACE) lecture seriesACE 2012: These lectures are presented by national and international communication skills experts who participated in our I*CARE Achieving Communication Excellence (ACE) lecture series. They may be taken together or separately.
(5 video lectures)

Each module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM per lecture: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

ACE 2009-2011: The lectures in this section were videotaped in previous years and are also presented by national and international communication skills experts who participated in our I*CARE Achieving Communication Excellence (ACE) lecture series. They may be taken together or separately.
(12 video lectures)

Each module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM per lecture: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

On Being An Oncologist    Top of the page

On Being an OncologistThe following is a reflection on the challenges of treating a life-threatening illness such as cancer brought home by actors William Hurt and Megan Cole.
(1 video + workbook)

This module has been designated by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for 3.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM: Begin CME (Ethics) credits

 

Other Videos    Top of the page

Medical Errors, Professionalism, and Ethics - An Ethics Education captioned video of a lecture by Dr. Antonella Surbone focusing on the patient-doctor relationship, truth-telling, and ethics in medical oncology. CME is available only to MD Anderson Cancer Center Employees. If you are seeking CME ethics credit for viewing this lecture, please contact Jessica Moore at jamoore1@mdanderson.org for access to the CME version, before viewing. RME credit is also available (RME available only to physicians enrolled in The University of Texas Professional Liability Insurance Plan).

 

Bibliography (pdf file opens in new window)

CME Topics

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Information

The videos in this section are approved for Continuing Medical Education (AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM in medical ethics and/ or professional responsibility) through The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. CME Certificates will be provided within 10 business days of completion.

John P. McGovern Award for Excellence in Biomedical Communication

Telly Awards 2010

I*CARE Wins 3 Telly Awards for Crossroads module

I*CARE Wins 3 Telly Awards for "Crossroads" module


© 2013 The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center