Joint Accreditation Newsletter: July 2025

News

LEADERSHIP SUMMIT WELCOMES A GROWING COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE

Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education^TM convened its 2025 Leadership Summit June 23-24. We opened with a spirit of reflection and connection, welcoming 188 attendees from 81 jointly accredited organizations and 10 additional organizations that have begun the pre-application process.

Kate Regnier, Executive Vice President of ACCME, shared a compelling portrait of the system’s growth and strength. Since its launch in 2010 with just two organizations, Joint Accreditation has expanded to nearly 190 accredited providers, with more than 20 new organizations joining each year. Notably, for the first time in 2024, the number of applicants new to accreditation exceeded those transitioning from other accreditors, highlighting the increasing relevance of interprofessional education across the healthcare ecosystem.

She also shared that the current Joint Accreditation education community spans a wide range of organization types, including academic centers, hospitals and health systems, education companies, professional membership organizations, and government agencies. This diversity reflects Joint Accreditation’s ability to support high-quality continuing education across settings and professions.

The data presented underscores a shared commitment to improving care through collaborative learning, reinforcing that Joint Accreditation remains a powerful catalyst for educational innovation and health system transformation.

Watch for more information in the 2025 Leadership Summit Report and the 2024 Joint Accreditation Data Report.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS REVEAL KEY INSIGHTS INTO THE CPD/CE WORKFORCE

Thank you to all the jointly accredited providers who participated in the CPD/CE Workforce Survey. Your responses provide an unprecedented look at the makeup, structure, and financial landscape of the continuing professional development (CPD)/continuing education (CE) workforce.

A collaborative effort of the ACCME, Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education (Joint Accreditation), State Medical Society Recognized Accreditors, the Alliance for Continuing Education of the Health Professions (ACEHP), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME), the survey is the first of its kind to offer a detailed picture of our community. Conducted by a research team at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, the complete analysis is currently underway and will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication by the end of the year.

These preliminary results were shared during Learn to Thrive 2025 in April in Chicago:

Who Makes Up the CPD/CE Workforce?

Of the 524 respondents:

83% identified as female, 13% as male, and 4% as other or preferred not to answer.
54% reported holding duties outside of CPD/CE, highlighting the need for flexible and multifaceted staffing models.

Financial and Revenue Insights

Among 514 respondents:

Slightly more than half generate external revenue for their CPD/CE units.
Slightly less than half report having an expectation that external revenue should cover the costs of their programs.
Again for about half of respondents, internal funding remains a primary source of revenue.

Workforce Changes and Staffing Dynamics

Over the past two years, on average there were:

1.31 new hires per organization
1.11 staff departures per organization

Roles and Experience

In terms of experience and full-time equivalent (FTE) status:

Coordinators have an average of 6 years of CPD/CE experience, and 76% plan to stay in the field for the next three years.
Managers average 13 years of experience, with 84% intending to stay.
Program Leaders have the highest average experience at 15 years, and 86% are committed to the profession.

This data underscores that as professionals advance in responsibility, they tend to stay longer in the field and are more likely to serve in full-time roles.

What’s Next?

This preliminary data is just the beginning. The final analysis will provide even deeper insights into how organizational size, provider type, and accreditor affiliation relate to workforce structure and compensation. These findings will support CPD/CE professionals in:

Benchmarking their programs
Making informed staffing and budgeting decisions
Advocating for resources and recognition within their institutions

Again, we are grateful to all who participated. Your input is helping us build a stronger, better-informed CPD/CE community.

EDUCATION AND RESOURCES

REGISTER NOW: GETTING STARTED WITH JOINT ACCREDITATION WORKSHOP

New to interprofessional continuing education? Join Joint Accreditation’s virtual workshop, Getting Started with Joint Accreditation, on Friday, September 26 to hear an overview of the Joint Accreditation process and criteria. The workshop will also include opportunities to ask questions and discuss the benefits of Joint Accreditation. This is an excellent learning opportunity for new staff, even if your organization is already jointly accredited.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS ON VALUE OF CME/CPD: 18TH EUROPEAN CME FORUM

The calls for proposals and registration are now open for the 18th Annual European CME Forum, which runs November 5-7, 2025, in Manchester, UK. The theme this year is “The value of CME/CPD.” Submission guidance can be found here. The deadline for submitting proposals for the pre-meeting session, workshop, and breakout is July 21. For poster abstract submission, the deadline is September 15. Visit the website for more information.

The Journal of CME 2025 Special Collection theme this year on “The value of CME/CPD,” ties in with the theme of 18ECF. Guest Editor Steven Kawczak will join us at 18ECF and will invite select authors to discuss their work during the meeting. Visit the JCME website for details. Jennifer Graebe, DrPH, MSN, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Senior Director, Nursing Continuing Professional Development Accreditation™ and Joint Accreditation™ Programs, American Nurses Credentialing Center, serves on the Editorial Team for the special collection.

ACCREDITATION TIP

Providing evidence that you are appropriately separating education with ancillary activities, such as advertising, exhibits, and nonaccredited sessions (JAC 12e)

If you include opportunities for ineligible companies to advertise, exhibit, or otherwise reach your learners in association with your CE activities, or if you offer sessions in your accredited activities that include planners or faculty with unmitigated financial relationships, be sure to review the Joint Accreditation Structured Abstract, specifically in relation to JAC 12e. The Structured Abstract can help you understand how you should be demonstrating that those ancillary activities are kept separate from your accredited education. Ancillary activities typically include exhibits, product theaters, advertising, and sessions or related events featuring individuals with unmitigated relevant financial relationships.
Here’s what you need to know:

If your activity is associated with any marketing, exhibits, or promotional content—or if it’s held in conjunction with sessions or events that include planners or faculty with unmitigated financial relationships—you will be asked to upload one of the following when completing the Structured Abstract:

Materials associated with the activity in which advertising or marketing from ineligible companies was permitted
OR
Evidence that the accredited activity was kept separate (by time and/or space) from any nonaccredited ancillary activities, like exhibits or sessions or with planners or faculty with unmitigated financial relationships.

Examples of acceptable documentation include an agenda, brochure, or an agreement with an exhibitor or advertiser that outlines where and how the promotion was placed, or a written description of the steps your team took to maintain separation if no physical evidence (e.g., signage or floor plans) was retained.

Keep this tip in mind as you plan your activities. You can visit the Structured Abstract to see specific language and requirements.

COMPLIANCE CHECK: TRADE NAMES

Recently, several of you have contacted us about the use of trade names. You’ve asked, “Does Joint Accreditation allow trade names to be used in speaker presentations and educational materials? Can an ineligible company be mentioned in an accredited CE activity?”

Thank you for your diligence. To clarify, a trade name is a promotional name, created by a pharmaceutical company for a drug it manufactures. A trade name is typically easier to say or spell than its generic counterpart and has been created for advertising purposes. Joint Accreditation recommends:

You use generic names where possible. All medicines have an approved generic name. Generic names are widely accepted and not reserved for the exclusive use of a specific company.
If you need to list a trade name for educational purposes, use multiple trade names.

We understand that a learner may be more likely to recognize a pharmaceutical product by its trade name. Joint Accreditation does not prohibit the use of trade names in the context of CE activities, but we ask that you provide a fair and balanced view for your learners. One of the easiest ways to do this is to list trade names from several companies. Other strategies you might take might include:

Using the generic name at the same time as you use the trade name. For example, you could say “generic name (trade name X)” to provide more context for your learners.
Using the trade name with the generic combination only once, and afterward, using the generic name only.
Avoiding promotional language. Make sure that any mention of a trade name is factual and not accompanied by language that could be construed as promotional or suggestive of superiority

Joint Accreditation similarly does not prohibit the use of company names—eligible or ineligible—in CE activities when there is educational value in doing so.

Stay tuned for more on trade names in our next Compliance Check! We’ll be addressing the use of trade names and logos in instances of ancillary activities.

JOIN OUR TEAM OF VOLUNTEER SURVEYORS

Looking for a way to enhance your understanding of Joint Accreditation requirements? Consider becoming a Volunteer Surveyor! We are seeking applicants for our volunteer surveyor pool who will, through their interactions with applicants and accredited providers, help Joint Accreditation fulfill its mission and serve as a link between accredited providers by conducting accreditation interviews. Surveyors help ensure that Joint Accreditation has the information about a provider’s interprofessional CE program that is needed to support the accreditation review and decision-making processes.

Surveyors will have the opportunity to enhance their professional development in interprofessional continuing education while advancing their understanding of accreditation requirements. Eligibility to become and remain a volunteer surveyor is assessed using the following criteria:

Independence from ineligible companies
Active participation in interprofessional continuing education (IPCE)
Adherence to the requirement that prohibits private consulting related to accreditation

Click here for the Surveyor Application. Along with your application, please submit a copy of your CV along with two letters of recommendation from a current Joint Accreditation volunteer and/or a current volunteer or staff member of a Jointly Accredited provider.