A 5-Week Series for Medical Education Meeting Planners

Getting physicians to show up is harder than it should be.

It’s rarely about the content. It’s almost always about everything around it. Over the next five weeks, we are sharing one practical tip at a time to help medical education meeting planners improve virtual CME attendance.

Here’s what’s coming:

• Week 1 — Promote early and meet doctors where they already are
• Week 2 — Get the right medical leaders to support your meeting and be in the room
• Week 3 — Listen to the people who didn’t come
• Week 4 — Make live attendance worth more than the recording
• Week 5 — Make the credit impossible to ignore

Kicking off Week 1

Tip# 1: Start promoting earlier than you think you need to

By the time you send your first announcement, physicians may have already filled that time slot. A single email the week of the meeting isn’t a communication strategy. It’s a hope. Getting your medical staff to attend virtual CME sessions starts weeks before the meeting, not days.

Use the following campaign:

• Save-the-date 4 weeks out,  before competing commitments take that hour
• Formal invitation 1–2 weeks prior with full program details and credit information
• Reminder 24–48 hours before, when schedules are being finalized
• Distribute across department email, intranet, and EHR message center

Then take it one step further; put a calendar where doctors actually are:

The physicians’ dining room does more promotional work than most planners realize. Doctors are already there. Let the schedule do the work.

• High-traffic, collegial space = passive but consistent visibility
• Update it monthly, so it becomes something medical staff actually look for
• Pair it with leadership support; when a chief sees it and mentions it, the reminder doubles
• No new technology. No new budget. Just a calendar on the wall.

Reminder across multiple channels.  Not one email and a hope

What’s your biggest challenge with medical staff attendance? Email us with your comments at info@speakersnetwork.com.

If your medical staff needs an update on any CME topic, consider contacting our office to book a speaker at 714-505-4777 or info@speakersnetwork.com.

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