Development of a self-assessment program in obstetrics and gynecology

Abstract

To meet the needs of their membership, many professional societies are developing home study, self assessment programs designed for the practicing physician. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has instituted a five-year cycle, issuing a new unit each year, focusing on one of the five components of the specialty. The objectives of the program are to provide a means of self-directed independent study for professional development for obstetrician-gynecologists, to assist physicians in iden tifying their strengths and weaknesses in clinical knowledge, and to provide a means for participants to compare their performance to the performance of others. PROLOG (Personal Re view of Learning in Obstetrics and Gynecology) has been one of ACOG's most successful professional development programs. The following article describes the development process for creating each unit, and presents some of the results of the first two years.