Having a professional degree or a license to practice, especially if you’re in the medical line, does not mean that it’s the end of the line for your studying. In fact, most licensed practitioners need to prove that they’re constantly learning and updating themselves with the most recent technological advancements in their respective fields. But, how would anyone know how and what you’ve been learning to keep yourself updated?
That’s where Continuing Education (CE) credits, also known as Continuing Education Units (CEU) in some parts of the world, come into play. These credits are just like the credits you earn in college, only that you can earn them in fun ways, like attending a seminar or conference, and not solely through classes and practical work. Here are some of the ways you can earn your CE credits while attending a conference or academic event.
☑ #1 One-day Seminars
Some seminars are essentially just short, one-day classes that are taught by a certified instructor who is well-versed in the latest procedures and technological developments in the field. The hours that you spend there can actually contribute to your CE credits, all you need is your proof of attendance, which you can get in writing from the organizers themselves. Just like how you did in college, except that it lasts for only 24 hours or less.
☑ #2 Badge of Attendance
Some conferences hand out badges for attending their events and completing the activities planned throughout the academic occasion. These badges serve the purpose to let others know that you have been trained and are competent in the subject for which you have attended an academic meet. When you look closer at them, these badges are a fancy version of the certificate of completion and is usually comes as a digital version, which you can print out when you need to attach it along with your practicing license renewal forms.
☑ #3 Post-Conference Evaluation
At the end of the conference, especially if the topic of the conference focuses on the technical aspects of a process or a procedure that is commonly used by all within the same industry, there might be a short test that they would organize for all their attendees. These tests function to see how much of the information disseminated during the conference you have learnt by heart. The better you score on the test, the more you have learnt and naturally, that contributes to a higher credit score.
☑ #4 Getting a Membership
While on a seminar, you might see the organizers handing out membership forms to their attendees. It may be wise to sign-up as a member with them, especially if they are an active group that always have a constant stream of academic events going on. This way, you’d always be able to get the latest updates on any academic conference happening and that itself is a fast track to lots of CE credits in no time at all. Granted that you attend the relevant seminars diligently, that is.
Who knew you’d be able to earn CE credits so easily through a seminar or academic conference? Well, now you know how to get them whenever you go out for a seminar and in which forms they’d be disguised as. Be sure to always keep up with the latest academic events that are going on, whether those directly or indirectly related to what you do, and attend them whenever you can.
Not only will you be learning something new that could make your daily processes much easier, you’re also earning these valuable credits you need to prove that you’re in the know about the latest developments in your field and other related ones.
