[Continuing medical education in pediatrics: maintaining of professional competence with different interactive models].

The forming of professional competence constitutes the primary mission of the university. It follows that the maintenance of professional competence is part of that same mission. Physicians will always remain the first motor of their own competence, but the university will play a major role in organizing and providing continuing medical education activities. At the University of Montreal, many CME programs are regularly offered to practising physicians concerned by pediatric patients (400 pediatricians and 7,000 family physicians). These programs include the following collective activities: 1), biannual convention on pediatric updates; 2), one-day meeting on selected topics; 3), advanced pediatric life support courses; 4), regional conference touring programs by university staff. We have also developed the following individual CME activities: 1), CME letter; 2), self-evaluation questionnaires; 3), miniresidency programs; 4), CME TV series; 5), problem-solving slide series. All these activities are planned according to a need assessment basis and an on-going evaluation process. Priority is given to interactive methods of student-teacher relationship.