Value of continuing medical education in the prehospital arena.

It is the position of the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) that continuing medical education (CME) is a valuable and essential component of assuring competent, efficacious, and contemporary patient care. This position is based on our belief that emergency medical services (EMS) professionals benefit by their involvement in CME because it provides exposure to the latest technologies and strategies for delivering EMS care that may not be available in other training and education programs that are required for recertification. We also believe that there is an association between the quality of care delivered by EMS prehospital care personnel and their participation in CME throughout their careers. Therefore, it is the recommendation of NAEMSE that, following primary education, all EMS providers maintain continuing education (new education and re-education) on an ongoing basis.