Travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines during COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of virtual CME. The benefits of webinars have made them a staple in continuing medical education.

1. Convenient

One of the primary advantages of webinars is their convenience. With lots of virtual CME to choose from, it likely won’t be difficult to find sessions that fit your schedule and interests. There is much less of a time commitment than traveling to a conference. In person, half-day sessions allow you to relax in your destination. With a webinar, you can maintain your normal responsibilities in the afternoon, such as seeing patients.

2. Interactive

While webinars may not always be as interactive as in-person learning, technology does allow for some valuable engagement during virtual sessions. These are just a few ways presenters and moderators can make webinars interactive:

• Polls and quizzes
• Chats
• Q&A sessions
• Breakout “rooms”

3. Accessible

Accessible CME allows healthcare providers to get the continuing education they need to best care for their patients and themselves. Webinar CME facilitates accessibility in a variety of ways.

Firstly, virtual sessions have the potential to reach a wider audience than in person events, including individuals limited by resources or mobility. Because both presenters and learners can be located anywhere with a reliable internet connection, webinars facilitate “global brain transfer,” benefiting practitioners and their patients.

Secondly, physicians can tailor webinar CME to their own learning style as necessary, such as removing distractions from the learning environment and receiving information in both visual and audio formats.

4. Specific

Webinars offer hosts, presenters, and attendees more flexibility. Depending on the format, this flexibility may allow for more specialized sessions. Physicians looking for a deep dive on a specific topic may find what they’re looking for more easily with virtual CME over another format.

5. Cost Effective

Webinar CME eliminates some of the ancillary costs associated with traveling for a continuing education conference. For providers with limited CME allowances, webinars are a good way to enjoy some of the benefits of live CME, like active learning, without the added costs of airfare, food, and accommodations.

Of course, in-person CME offers advantages webinars can’t replicate, like face-to-face networking and exploring a new destination. However, if a conference isn’t right for you this year for any reason, virtual CME can be a great way to earn your required credits.