Procedures for Cognate Assignment

Continuing medical education (CME) consists of educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, professional performance, and relationships that a physician uses to provide services to patients, the public, or the profession. As the educational institution of the specialty, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a leading participant in the support and furtherance of quality CME for its members and other physicians practicing obstetrics and gynecology.

Accredited providers approve specific CME activities and confirm that a CME offering meets the criteria for a stated number of credits which are awarded to physicians participating in the activity.

ACOG, as a national Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education-accredited CME provider, approves credits for only those CME programs which are directly and jointly provided by ACOG. ACOG does not grant credit for sponsored programs not sponsored by ACOG, but does recognize such programs as a service to its participating members. ACOG will, therefore, assign cognate credits when CME activities are sponsored in accordance with ACCME procedures.

To be recognized by ACOG for cognate assignment, the program must include subject matter in obstetrics, gynecology, or related fields and be open to registration by Fellows and Junior Fellows of ACOG. The primary faculty should be physicians, preferably in obstetrics and gynecology or related fields.

Cognate assignment is accorded for a specific program to be conducted at a specific time in a single designated location. Separate request forms for a program which is conducted more than once at the same or a different location must be submitted together with required documentation and fee.

Organizations desiring ACOG cognate assignment for their CME programs must complete the Request for Assignment of ACOG Cognate Credits Form. The form submitted must be accompanied by the following documentation:

• A complete draft of the program announcement. This must include the program title, specific identification of the ACCME or SMS sponsor, faculty, and the breakout of the instructional credits by subject matter. (Recurring programs applied for on an exception basis must include a sample announcement that presents representative faculty and subjects.)
• If the requesting organization is not the ACCME- or SMS-accredited provider, a letter from the accredited provider acknowledging their willingness to jointly provide the program must be provided. The letter must be on sponsor letterhead and originated by the sponsor's CME office or department. Letters submitted by individuals or other departments of the sponsoring organization will not be recognized.

Upon notification by ACOG of cognate assignment, a program announcement may include reference to such action. However, the wording of the reference must be limited to "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has assigned __ cognate credits to this program". ACOG may not be identified as the accrediting agency or sponsor.

An administrative fee is charged for each application and must accompany the application.

The contact person listed on the form will be notified in writing of the cognate credits assigned. Please allow three weeks for processing of the request. Processing will be delayed if a request is incomplete or is not accompanied by the required documentation. Cognate credits will not be assigned for programs that have already been conducted or for applications that do not provide adequate processing time.

Further information can be obtained from ACOG at [email protected].