Live conferences are no longer the only way to deliver continuing education. Webinars and on-demand courses now carry much of the load, and both can award accredited credit. If you have recorded content or a virtual event series, here is how to turn it into accredited CME, CNE, and CPE.
Yes. Accredited credit is not limited to in-person events. Joint providership applies to live events, webinars, on-demand enduring materials, simulations, and blended formats. What changes between formats is the documentation and, in some cases, how learners verify participation.
These are treated differently, and knowing which you are running matters:
Live webinar. Delivered in real time on a set date. Credit is tied to attendance at the live session.
Enduring material. Available on demand over a defined period, such as a recorded course learners complete on their own schedule. Enduring materials must include a way to verify the learner engaged with the content, and they carry an expiration date after which credit can no longer be claimed. ACCME requires providers to review each enduring material at least once every three years to confirm the content is still current.
For a virtual or on-demand activity, plan for:
Clear learning objectives tied to the content
Faculty disclosures reviewed before the activity goes live
A mechanism to confirm participation, such as a post-activity assessment
An evaluation instrument for learners to complete
A defined availability window for enduring materials
Many organizations sit on a library of recorded grand rounds, lectures, or conference sessions. With joint providership, that existing content can often be reviewed, documented, and offered as accredited enduring material, extending its value long after the original event and reaching learners who could not attend live. See our guide to CME for conferences and grand rounds for the live-event side of this.
Enduring materials carry an expiration date, typically set at the time of accreditation. After that date, learners can still view the content, but credit can no longer be claimed unless the activity is reviewed and renewed. Read more in our guide to whether CME credits expire.
Yes, with a jointly accredited partner. A single virtual activity can award all three credit types under one application, just like an in-person event.
Through AwardCE, the standard turnaround is 30 days from signed agreement. Starting the conversation four to six weeks before your target date leaves room to gather materials and still launch on schedule.
ACCME — Standards for Integrity and Independence (activity format definitions)
ACCME — Accreditation Requirements (enduring material review cycle)