How to Spend Leftover CME Money Before It Expires
Because CME stipends are a use it or lose it benefit, you need to spend any leftover CME money before year's end to make the most of it. Here's how you can do that.
For many of us, the deadline to spend our CME money has just come and gone.
Because CME stipends operate on a use it or lose it basis, you'd be leaving money on the table if you don't utilize all of your available allowance.
Not only does your CME stipend likely reset on December 31st, but there are a few CME products that have been discontinued as of 2023. Most notably, Board Vitals CME Pro Plus, which came with a gift card worth up to $3,500, was discontinued as of January 3rd, 2023.
So with that in mind, here are a few creative ways to spend that leftover CME money burning a hole in your expense account.
1. CME with Gift Cards
There are several good CME plus gift card bundles available for those with some CME funds left at the end of the year. Some of them come with hefty gift card bonuses, while others (MDCalc) let you choose exactly how much you want to spend (and provide a commensurate gift card in return).
A few major offers come from Audio Digest (max $3,100 gift card) and MDCalc (max $3,500 gift card). Oakstone has recently revived their flagship CME with gift card offer, CMEinfo Insider, which comes with a value of up to $3,200 and three years worth of high quality CME in several specialties.
These are all excellent options (gift card or not), so you have plenty of worthwhile choices.
2. CME with a Free iPad
Here’s another limited time way to maximize your CME spend this year. VisualDx is currently offering a free iPad with a one or two year CME subscription. The iPad comes pre-installed with VisualDx so you can start using your new CME plan right away once you get the device.
Get your free 10th generation 64GB iPad with a VisualDx subscription here.
2. Seasonal CME Sales
Did you know December is when many CME companies offer some of their best sales? However, they still need to sell CME the rest of the year, so it is possible to get great deals outside of the end of the year.
VisualDx has a sale (in partnership with Modern MedEd) that will get you unlimited CME credits for an entire year for just $299 (normally $499). It's an amazing app and I'd highly recommend any clinician to snap it up while you can!
Get VisualDx here.
VisualDx isn't the only exclusive offer we've secured for you here at Modern MedEd. A long-time favorite of ours, BoardVitals, is offering 10% off for our readers just by using promo code Modern10 at checkout to save.
3. CME with Reward Points
Master Clinicians has launched a new Membership Access Pass that provides points you can use on future courses. There are three levels; Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Looking at the Silver Membership Access Pass, it costs $2,000 and will come with 20,000 points.
However, if you pre-order now, you'll get an additional 15% in points. This looks like it'll be an interesting way to get more value from your CME fund without resorting to frantically spending it at the last minute (like you are now).
Learn more about Master Clinicians Membership Access Pass here.
4. Multi Year CME Subscription
One of my favorite ways to spend CME money is with a multi-year CME subscription. CMEinfo Insider comes in one, two, or three year packages. StatPearls has a lifetime CME plan for $2,599. Pay once and get access to all current and future CME activities from StatPearls. Pretty good deal if you ask me.
5. Buy Medical Textbooks
If you need a textbook that is considered a must-have for your specialty, now is the time to get it. When I worked in the neurosurgery department, it was Greenberg's. Stahl’s was a cornerstone of psychiatry practice. Every specialty's got one.
Find yours on Bookshop.org and support local bookstores at the same time.
6. Book a Travel CME Activity
When I say travel CME, I don’t mean your traditional conferences that are held in various places around the country. Companies like CME Procedures offer ways to make your CME into a vacation (or your vacation into a CME conference). Buy your travel CME with this year’s CME stipend and book your travel in 2023.
7. Register for a CME Conference for Next Year
It’s never too early to start planning your CME conferences for next year. American Medical Seminars hosts CME events in hospital medicine, emergency medicine, primary care, infectious diseases, and other specialties in nice-looking beach towns.
More Ideas on Spending Leftover CME Money
With online CME becoming more and more popular every year, there are plenty of opportunities to spend your leftover CME money in creative and useful ways. This applies during pandemics as well as normal times.
For more online CME options, check out our CME database with more than 500 CME activities from which to choose.
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Further Reading
New CME with Gift Card Incentive Updates for 2024
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