CME Decision Guide
Just Honest Reviews of Continuing Medical Education
A recent study exploring barriers to CME confirmed our shared frustrations:
There were several factors clinicians identified as headache-inducing characteristics about continuing medical education.
The top 3 were:
Expense: The cost of CME is increasing, but your CME fund is not.
Travel: Flying to a conference and returning to hundreds of EPIC inbox tasks sucks.
And even just discovering CME: Organizers have limited resources and even more limited marketing skills.
With all the options from which to choose, it can seem like an overwhelming task every year to select, earn, and log your required CME credits. It's a good thing you aren't busy. What's that? You've never NOT been busy?
That's Where We Come In
CME Reviews & Comparisons
As a licensed healthcare professional, meeting your annual CME requirements is simply a fact of life. But today, there are more options to earn CME than ever. So how does one decide?
I've been involved in the CME industry for years and have participated in what feels like decades worth of CME in a fraction of the time.
And in a self-perpetuating cycle, the more CME I do, the more offers I receive to review CME products for Modern MedEd. Not every CME offer makes the cut, but those that do find a place on this website are the CMEs I am truly excited about sharing with you.
Because of my experience as a clinician, CME faculty member, and planning committee chair, I have unique insights to share with you about more CME programs than I can count.
I also recognize how difficult it is for busy clinicians to feel like they can be sure they made the right choice for their CME needs.
With so many factors to consider, such as in-person conferences or online CME, subscriptions or point-of-care apps, your individual CME stipend (or lack thereof), it almost becomes an exercise in game theory to maximize your ongoing clinical education.
As a licensed healthcare professional, meeting your annual CME requirements is simply a fact of life.
But today, there are more ways to earn CME than ever. This guide will help you find the best CME course for you this year and for many to come.
Factors to Consider When Choosing CME
- In-person or online CME
- Your preferred learning style (eg audio, written summaries, etc)
- Whether or not you have a CME stipend
- How comfortable you are with technology (eg medical apps)
- Specialty focus or wide breadth or topics
- How many CME credits you need
- How quickly you need to earn those CME credits
Contents
Some of the CME we've reviewed
Review of Every CME with Gift Card Offer in 2023
There are 14 CME with gift card offers that made the list this year. Find out which has the largest gift card, the most value, and more in our review.
Board Vitals CME Professional Review
Board Vitals offers compelling CME that can be earned quickly while helping you retain important concepts. Their question-bank style format is perfect for both CME and board review, covering over 40 specialties.
CMEinfo Insider Review
CMEinfo Insider is perfect for physicians who are multiple board certified or PAs working in more than one specialty. It's also invaluable for primary care clinicians due to the breadth of the information here.
With CMEinfo Insider, you'll have access to the library of every Oakstone specialty in downloadable audio, text, and video formats plus new content added monthly.
Last but not least, you can also walk away with an Amazon gift card of up to $3,200 with a three year CME subscription.
MDCalc CME Unlimited Review
MDCalc is a well-known, trusted source of free, open-access medical education (FOAMed).
All of their calculators remain free to use, but you can now purchase a subscription to earn CME credits for using certain medical calculators of theirs.
More calculators are being added to the CME roster all the time, so this is not one to miss! If that wasn't enough, MDCalc currently offers the largest CME with gift card bundle available online, up to $3,000.
Medmastery Review
Medmastery helps you solve 90% of clinical problems you'll encounter without the help of a more senior consultant. US & EU CME Accredited.
VisualDx + Derm Expert CME Review
I'll keep this one short. Earn CME every time you use VisualDx plus get a free iPad (for a limited time) with your 1- or 2-year subscription.
Get this app. Now. I can't stress this enough. It's amazing and will make your life so much easier, I promise you. And yes, you'll want DermExpert, too, trust me.
Audio Digest CME Review
If you learn best by listening to experts geek out about their field of study (who doesn't), then Audio Digest is for you.
Buy it through Modern MedEd and get an extra $100 gift card for free.
Practical Reviews CME Review
Practical Reviews is one of those CME products that you just can't go wrong with. As a true CME subscription, it offers brand-new content delivered straight to you every single month.
CME Comparison Tables
MDCalc vs VisualDx Comparison
MDCalc CME
Key Features:
- Subscription plans ranging from free to $5,449 with a free gift card in return
- Access between 5 and unlimited CME credits depending on plan
- All CME subscriptions come with an MDCalc gift set or gift card up to $3,000
- Support MDCalc as a free (non CME) resource for others
MDCalc CME Plans
(1 year)
Standard Plan
- 15 CME credits: $199
Plus 30 Plan
- 30 CME credits: $299
Plus 40 Plan:
- 40 CME credits: $449
CME + Gift Card
Plus 65
- 65 CME credits + $1050 gift card: $1999
Plus 75
- 75 CME credits + $1600 gift card: $2999
Unlimited:
- Unlimited CME + $3000 gift card: $5449
VisualDx + DermExpert
Key Features:
- Customized differential builder + guided workup
- Earn unlimited CME at the point-of-care just by using the app
- Concise, actionable synopses for conditions seen in every specialty
- DermExpert comes with AI support for rashes, lesions, moles, etc on mobile
Individual CME Plans (1 or 2 years)
VisualDx + DermExpert: $999 for one year or $1,499 for 2 years +free iPad with either CME subscription
Institutions
- IP authentication
- UpToDate interoperability
- Integration with EHR
- Certified for risk CME accreditation
- Learn More
CMEinfo Insider & Practical Reviews Comparison
CMEinfo Insider Summary
Key Decision Points:
Freshness of CME Content:
Amount of CME Credits Available:
Variety of Learning Formats:
Subscription Length:
Price:
CME Bundle:
CME + Gift Card
3 Years: $5,449 + $3,200 Gift Card
2 Years: $2,999 + $1,500 Gift Card
1 Year: $1,999 + $1,000 Gift Card
Practical Reviews Summary
Key Decision Points:
Freshness of CME Content:
Amount of CME Credits Available:
Variety of Learning Formats:
Subscription Length:
Price:
CME Bundle:
Pricing:
One Year: $599 + $200 gift card
Two Years: $1,998 + $500 gift card
Audio Digest CME vs Board Vitals Quick Comparison
| Features | Audio Digest | Board Vitals |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 CME Hours | 4300+ | Up to 100 |
| Gift Card Max | $3,000 | No Gift Card |
| Specialties Covered | 17+ | 35+ |
| Pricing | $4,998 | $999 (1 year) |
| Devices & Technology | Desktop, Android, iOS | Desktop, Android, iOS |
Audio Digest CME v BoardVitals
Review and Comparison
Having a hard time deciding between Audio Digest CME and BoardVitals?
Read our review and comparison guide to find out which is right for you.
Audio Digest CME Summary
Key Decision Points:
Freshness & Quality of CME Content:
Amount of CME Credits Available:
Variety of Learning Formats:
Subscription Length:
Price:
CME Bundle:
Silver Membership: $399/yr
Gold Membership: $799/yr
Platinum Membership: $999/yr
Our Favorite Point-of-Care Medical Apps
We've written extensively on some key medical apps we think all clinicians should download. Some are free, some not; some award CME, some not, but all are worth it.
Some highlights:
- MDCalc
- VisualDx
- Figure1
- Medical Joyworks
DosedDaily CME Review
For the busy ENT physician, PA, or NP, it can feel like there is no time in the day to catch up on the latest literature.
DosedDaily solves this problem by sending you a single daily email with a question and explanation from a new, clinically-relevant issue in the specialty of your choice:
DosedDaily CME Summary
Key Features:
- Earn CME effortlessly every day of the week in just a few minutes
- Learn something clinically useful for that day before morning rounds
- Log both CME and ABOHNS MOC points awarded
- Additional specialties including facial plastics, pediatric ENT, head & neck oncology, otology, & rhinology
- Monthly Plan
- 2 CME credits & MOC points starting at $40/mo
- Annual Plan
- 24 CME credits & MOC points starting at $299/yr ($499/yr for subspecialties)
- 2 or 3 Year Plans
- 72 CME credits & MOC points & additional savings compared to annual
StatPearls CME Review
StatPearls is a comprehensive and authoritative medical education resource, CME article review, board review tool, and CME question bank.
For just $349 per year, you can earn unlimited CME credits. Want unlimited CME for life? Check out the Founding Member option!
StatPearls Founding Member CME
Pay once and get unlimited, regularly updated CME from one of the best medical education companies in the world for five years, ten years, or for the rest of your life.
5-Year Unlimited CME: $1,495 $999
10-Year Unlimited CME: $3,500 $1,495
Lifetime Unlimited CME: $5,000 $2,499
CME Reviews in the Works
[dedicated reviews coming soon]
Master Clinicians CME
Master Clinicians is the leading provider of urgent care CME for physicians, PAs, and NPs at any stage in their career.
You can customize your learning plan or go with one already make for the busy clinician.
Purchase individual courses in key topic areas like EKG, splinting, or women's health procedures. Alternatively, choose a virtual CME conference bundle and get a free gift card in return.
Canopy Medical Spanish CME
Canopy Medical Spanish is perfect for clinicians seeing to improve their communication skills.
Currently, PAs and DOs are eligible for category 1 CME with this program. More professions will be able to claim category 1 CME soon.
Microdose Psychedelics CME
Microdose is a new CME company on the block. I think it's safe to say you've never done CME like this before.
Learn about the latest evidence in psychedelic medicine and the emerging (and not so emerging) evidence for the role of these unique substances in the treatment of refractory psychiatric conditions.
