“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein
Reflections
By Ginny Jacobs, PhD, M.Ed., MLS
It has been said that reflection brings learning to life. In the field of education, it is especially valuable to reflect, as that view can offer insights and perspectives, while creating pathways for future planning.
In life, when you step in front of a mirror to see your reflection, it may be for purposes of combing your hair or straightening your tie. Metaphorically speaking, SACME has been taking time to look in the mirror and, in so doing, reflect on (examine) its 50-year history. That milestone anniversary will be celebrated at the upcoming SACME Annual Meeting which takes place in Lexington, Kentucky on March 22-25, 2026.
When you take a driver’s license exam, your first order of business is to adjust your rear-view mirrors. It is important to know where you have been, to know what threats may be coming up behind you, and/or to know if and when it is safe to change lanes. That concept applies to business strategy as well. The field of healthcare is moving at an incredibly rapid pace, so it is a matter of balancing our reflections from the past with the imperative that we keep our eyes on the road ahead and avoid any potential potholes.
When considering the value of the use of the rear view mirror, just think of how different the landscape of health and healthcare looks today, as compared to the picture from fifty years ago. We have been witness to notable advancements in the field of healthcare and education.
Improvements in patient outcomes related to a variety of health conditions can be attributed to advancements in diagnosis and treatment AND thoughtful implementation of effective educational strategies and campaigns. For example, we can take note of the fact that smallpox is the most notable disease that has been completely eradicated in the past 50 years, thanks to a global vaccination campaign.
Progress indeed, yet we must remember the fact that numerous compelling gaps in care exist in our world. For example:
In 1975, the leading causes of death globally included infectious diseases, with conditions like pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB) being particularly prevalent. I was surprised to learn that in 2023, TB remains one of the leading causes of death from infectious disease, having caused approximately 1.25 million deaths globally. Pneumonia also remains a significant health issue, particularly in children (sadly causing 700,000 deaths annually among those under five years old).
We have many reasons to be proud of progress made, yet there are abundant opportunities to do a better job keeping pace and urgently aligning our educational efforts with public health needs in a timely manner. I find it interesting to reflect on some stories from the past.
We are all familiar with the hazards of smoking and yet, today, smoking remains one the leading preventable causes of death in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths per year. The U.S. Surgeon General linked smoking to health hazards in its bold report released in January of 1964.
Globally, smoking still accounts for approximately 8 million premature deaths each year.
Tobacco cessation medications began to be introduced in the U.S. in the 1980s. The first nicotine patches became available in 1992 and several medications (bupropion and varenicline) have been developed and approved since that time.
Surprisingly, just a few decades ago, U.S. hospitals actually allowed candy stripers (volunteers) to sell cigarettes to patients in their beds. Yes, you heard that correctly!
Starting in the early 1990’s, regulations began to shift the view of smoking in our culture. Eventually those efforts led to a ban on smoking across many hospital campuses. However, to date, 44 countries across the globe remain unprotected by any of the World Health Organization’s tobacco control measures (MPOWER) and 53 countries still do not have complete smoking bans in healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, only about half of countries have smoke-free private workplaces and restaurants.
This type of delayed action is all too familiar. The Institute of Medicine’s 2001 report, indicated there is a 17-year gap between the development of evidence-based practices and their routine use in the real world (One can wonder how much – if any – progress we have made since 2001). Seventeen years between scientific discovery and the implementation of research findings into practice. That is an astounding fact and so troubling for those who seek medical care!
Granted this point calls attention to complicated issues (Morris, et al., 2011), and that does not lend itself to simply pointing a finger of blame. Rather, it highlights potential lessons and opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) and it prompts the important question…How can we more efficiently align our educational initiatives and activities with overall public health goals and clinical discoveries?
In response, let’s remember and find hope in the words of Nelson Mandela who stated that,
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Membership organizations, such as SACME, have served as a professional home for educators who seek to strategically align their research and educational planning initiatives with the health gaps and priorities that exist. These efforts are a work in progress, yet those of us in the field of healthcare education can marvel at many dramatic shifts that have occurred in education over the past 50 years. There have been changes in formats, instructional design, and evaluation to include:
The future success of CPD and, for that matter, SACME lies in its ability to continually (and rapidly) adapt to the evolving needs of healthcare. It is incumbent on us to adequately prepare future care teams to effectively assess and address the challenges presented by the dynamic and diverse healthcare landscape. The rate of of increase of medical knowledge is estimated to double every 73 days, a significant acceleration from previous rates of 3.5 years in 2010 (Densen, 2011).
That is a mind boggling concept and it places even greater weight on the work of educators to help learners assimilate new knowledge to be able to confidently make critical decisions. Bottom line, this is no time for the proverbial “analysis paralysis”. To remain relevant, we must step up the pace.
References:
Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine. Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2001.
Morris, Z. S., Wooding, S., & Grant, J. (2011). The answer is 17 years, what is the question: Understanding time lags in translational research. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 104(12), 510–520. https://doi.org/10.1258/jrsm.2011.110180
Densen P. Challenges and Opportunities Facing Medical Education. Trans Am Clin
Climatol Assoc. 2011;122:46-58.
Here is what you will find in this issue of CE News:
CE News – Fall, 2025 Issue
In the past year leading up to its golden anniversary, SACME has continued to use its platform to invite individuals to gather for thought-provoking educational activities and discussions. For example, the Virtual Journal Club has developed a “Celebration of the Decades” series which features seminal work from each of the last five decades. I invite you to check out those sessions which have (to date) featured noted scholars: Robert Fox, Don Moore, and Dave Davis. The Virtual Research Roundtable sessions are designed to advance SACME’s interest in scholarship, covering topics such as: the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in CPD research and qualitative research methods.
This issue of CE News puts a spotlight on several of those recent webinars and serves as a reminder that many recordings are archived and available for SACME members who were unable to attend the live event.
This is my first issue as Chief Editor of CE News and I want to be sure to glance in the rear-view mirror and again thank Robert D’Antuono for his past service in that role. Looking forward, I want to introduce you to Dr. Raghav Wusirika, whom I am pleased to announce has accepted the role of CE News Associate Editor.
Raghav is the division head of nephrology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). In addition to his current CPD involvement, Raghav has had experience with UME curriculum development and with oversight of the nephrology fellowship program.
With a medical degree from Ohio State University and, more recently, an MBA from OHSU, Raghav is a great addition to SACME. I am especially grateful for his commitment to the work of SACME’s Marketing and Communications Committee, and I can already say I enjoy partnering with him to bring you this newsletter.
Happy Anniversary, SACME.
Best wishes for another 50 Years!
Ginny Jacobs, PhD, M.Ed, MLS
Chief Editor, CE News
NOTE: Please let me or Raghav know if you have ideas or submissions for future issues of CE News. We will strive to continue to highlight innovative practices, impactful research, and valuable expertise to advance the field of CE/CPD in the health professions in the best interest of clinicians, patients, and communities.
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