ABSTRACT

The concept of cost-effective continuing professional development (CPD) is even more challenging. Learning can take place in the workplace and at a time and place that suits the learner. People take the software and hardware and even electricity for granted but they all cost money. The learning programmes themselves need to be developed and can be expensive if they are high quality. Cost-effective curriculum design as a concept is not a simple one. Evaluation is another area where efficiencies can be made in processes that will undoubtedly reduce costs. Quality assurance, a natural relation of evaluation, does cost in terms of both staff and money but it does result in significant benefits, not least in that it ‘ensures preparedness for external inspections, generates appetite for review and reform, maintains external reputation, safeguards income and avoids costly remedial activity’. The way forward in cost effectiveness in medical education lies with everyone involved in medical education.