<p>Do doctors and others in medicine take courses to refresh their memory every once in a while? I know they go to conventions and such to update on what's going on in the medical field. . . but I know that it's possible to forget some of the things that they learn over the course of a career and might need to reinforce their memory.</p>
<p>Yes, classes are known as Continuing Medical Education or CME. They come in many formats. Some are lectures you attend, audiotapes or CDs, computer based lectures, etc. Participation is given by the "hour". If you attend a one-hour lecture, you get one hour if CME credit. Most audiotapes/CDs/computer based modules are designed for you to read/listen and then take a quiz. You have to get a certain minimum percent right to get credit. They are usually designed to take 1 - 1 1/2 hour. If designed for 1 hour, you get one CME credit. States require you to take a minimum number of hours of CME per year to maintain state licensure.
When I became board certified (in anesthesiology), my certification was forever. Now, certification is for 10 years and then one must recertify. Time-limited certification is more and more common among specialties. It is important to stay current in your field. Your CME is the way you do that. You don't have to stay current in everything.</p>