Peter L. Bailey, M.D., Editor-in-Chief
Self-Education and Evaluation Program

As the editor-in-chief of the ASA Self-Education and Evaluation (SEE) Program, I review compilations of the feedback provided to the SEE Editorial Board. This feedback comes from every SEE subscriber who fills out the questionnaire accompanying each SEE issue. Fortunately the hard work of SEE question writers and editors seems to pay off in that most feedback is very positive. However, there is always room for improvement! In addition some of the comments and criticisms reveal that the mission and approach of the SEE Program is not always clear.

The SEE Program has evolved over three decades as a continuing medical education (CME) product. During this time, the approach of the editorial board has been defined and refined. The mission of the SEE Program is to provide a CME product twice a year that introduces new concepts and developments to its subscribers. Some refer to this as “cutting-edge” material, versus accepted knowledge and practice. The SEE Program intentionally uses recent journal articles to initiate each item in the program. Sometimes this strikes subscribers as misguided or inappropriate. A typical comment might be, “Should I really change my practice based on one publication?” The answer is obviously “of course not!” However, the SEE Editorial Board always strives to incorporate the new knowledge presented into the greater body of knowledge that is relevant and better established so as to put things into perspective. Perhaps the SEE Program should be viewed as similar to a journal club that many groups hold.

The need for an “accepted knowledge” program, similar to the SEE Program, has been acknowledged. ASA is embarking on beginning such a program that will hopefully supplement (not supplant) the SEE Program. This new program will likely appeal more to those individuals preparing for certification, recertification or maintenance of certification. The SEE Program will surely remain successful and continue to grow in popularity as a CME tool for those wishing to stay current with new concepts and developments.

Other frequent comments include: “More SEE publications, four times a year!” “More obstetrics,” “more pain management” and “more, more, more.” It is nice to be appreciated, and these comments certainly help to guide us when we evaluate the SEE product for any gaps in areas of coverage. It is not possible, however, for the SEE Editorial Board and question writers to produce twice the current volume of items (200 questions and discussions per year!). Currently the SEE Editorial Board meets four times a year for working weekends in addition to the preparatory work we do. Although a subspecialty CME program similar to the SEE Program might find success, it is not clear if there is adequate demand to support the production of SEE-like products for various subspecialties.

I hope this information helps those of you who question the mission or approach of the SEE Program. Please feel free to visit our booth, which will be located in the Resource Center at the ASA Annual Meeting this October in San Francisco, California. We are always interested in learning more from our subscribers. We shall continue to listen to you and carefully consider the very useful feedback you provide.

Peter L. Bailey, M.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Cardiac Anesthesia, University of Rochester, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York.