CME is extremely important for all nephrologists. The ERA-EDTA has considered the need to work together with the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) to promote a unified CME system in Europe with the aim of defining the quality of specialist care given to patients within the European Community.
For this purpose ERA-EDTA has created the European Council for Accreditation in CME in Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation (ECANDT of the ERA-EDTA accredited by the European Accreditation Council for CME - EACCME)
Chair-person: R. Coppo (Italy)
Secretary: A.L.M. De Francisco (Spain)
Members: J. Floege (Germany)
              R. Vanholder (Belgium)
              A. Wiecek (Poland)
              C. Zoccali (Italy)
              F. Locatelli, ERA-EDTA President (Italy)

This Council works towards giving accreditation to European meetings of a high educational value, but also towards expanding the ERA-EDTA’s educational activities in Europe.

ERA-EDTA Courses for CME
Although the annual ERA-EDTA Congress is now on the CME map, it is not always possible for young investigators to attend it. Over the last few years courses have been organised to benefit eastern European countries, where young nephrologists have more difficulties in attending congresses abroad, but recently this activity has been expanded to embrace Europe as a whole, both eastern and western countries. The new additional series of CME courses have been designed as a way of providing educational activities in scientific fields of interest, covering new or newsworthy issues which need a review by expert scientists to fully clarify the scientific message and the advancement in education. These “Scientific Frontiers Conferences” are planned not to echo what can be gained from congresses or books, but to whet the scientific curiosity of young nephrologists who are often “snowed under” by arduous, routine work and are at risk of losing their enthusiasm for seeking out new developments in the field. Our Association will be improved only if young people become so attracted by Nephrological science that they plan to invest their professional future in it.

The ERA-EDTA wants to demonstrate to young nephrologists that Europe can offer excellent expertise without the need to look for science oversee.
The areas of CME courses and their Coordinators are the following:
- Basic Science and Clinical Nephrology: R. Coppo (Italy) and J. Floege (Germany)
- Chronic Renal Failure, Hypertension and Clinical Epidemiology: C. Zoccali (Italy) and G. London (France) - Dialysis: R. Vanholder (Belgium) and S. Davies (UK)
- Transplantation: C. Ponticelli (Italy), A. Torres (Spain) and K. Olgaard (Denmark)

The first CME Course was organised in Milan (Italy) in December 2003 in collaboration with the Renal Pathology Society on “New issues on Immunopathology of vasculitis”. It was a very good start; there were 150 participants and a general positive consensus.

2004 CME Courses
The 2004 programme of CME courses in Nephrology, Dialysis and Renal Transplantation includes exceptionally valid CME events, divided into 11 courses with quite a homogeneous geographic distribution within Europe, including Spain (2 courses), Italy (2), Germany (1), Hungary (2), Latvia (1), Czech Republic (1), Poland (1), Romania (1).
Also the topics are quite varied: going from Basic Science & Clinical Nephrology (1), Basic Science & Transplantation (2), Immunopathology (2), Epidemiology &/Statistics (2), Comprehensive up-dating Courses (4).
The scientific material will be published in the educational section of the electronic format of the ERA-EDTA Journal (NDT-Educational) to allow long-term learning.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE ERA-EDTA CME COURSES 2003-2004

Proposals for the 2005 CME courses
7 “Scientific Frontiers Conferences” CME courses and 6 Up-dating courses in eastern countries have already been proposed for 2005.

Board of Nephrology
On a final note, the ERA-EDTA has joined the European Board of Nephrology, founded in June 2003. The aim of this organisation is to harmonise CME within Europe, with the help of UEMS and the National Societies of Nephrology. This Board will work towards guaranteeing the highest standard of care in Nephrology in Europe, monitoring and harmonising the training of Nephrologists in Europe and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

In sum, the ERA-EDTA is taking on a new role in implementing knowledge and harmonising the practice of Nephrology by accrediting outstanding scientific meetings in Europe, providing CME courses, working hard to ensure that there are high level training centres for Nephrologists and monitoring Continuous Professional Development.

Rosanna Coppo

Chair-person of the European Council for Accreditation in CME in Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation (ECANDT of the ERA-EDTA)