Average CME?

[nixietink]

I am a soon-to-be new grad and am negotiating my first contract. They are only offering $1000 for CME, which is a bit low. What is considered average? Does anyone have any literature or references I can cite to back up my request? Thanks!

[Reality Check 2]

$1500-2000 is more average. I have seen up to $3000 depending on local economy, location and access to CME. 

 

Also, what is being taken out of your CME?

 

Mine is a bit messy. They pay my license, DEA and AAPA, state org and county medical society separate from CME - BUT - my NCCPA recert CME fees come from CME, my NCCPA PANRE comes from CME and then there is plain old CME.

 

So, the budget can get sucked away quickly in a recert year or a PANRE year. 

 

Also, mine doesn't roll over - use it or lose it. I wanted to collect it and roll it over to help pay for Master's degree work but got a big fat NO.

 

I don't travel for CME unless I absolutely have to. We have medical schools in my town so CME is not as hard for some. One airline ticket, hotel, meals and the program fee can empty a budget in a hurry for only half the hours needed or less.

 

How do you plan to obtain CME? Online, UpToDate, local programs? How about the new SI CME and does that cost more?

 

I would put together a list of costs for the NCCPA crud and then look at some programs online and put it in a spreadsheet and present it as an estimate of what will be REQUIRED to keep your certification and have the potential employer negotiate for more. 

 

More is better even if you lose it if not spent.

[Febrifuge]

Current job, the one I'm leaving after this weekend: $2250/ year, renews every January 1st (so I spent almost all of mine and it's okay that I'm working half a year and then bailing). I have to use that money each year for airfare, hotel, and conference registration, but it's been more than enough (except for the 2015 conference at WDW). I can also take (I think) 5 CME days per year, and if I need more time I can dip into Personal Holiday hours. These CME days have to be the actual days of the conference, or the day before. Staying an extra day requires PH hours as well.

 

New job: $2000/ year for full-time, prorated based on FTE (so half-time people get $1000). Also it will be prorated for me in 2016 since I'll be working just half a year.

[SedRate]

I got 1500 the first year and 2000 the second. Like Reality Check 2 said, CME can mean a lot of things. My CME allowance covers CME, recert stuff (ACLS/BLS), and conference expenses. Mine doesn't roll over. CME days come out of my PTO.

[JPMiller]

I get 3000 plus wk. They cover professional memberships and licensing and does not come out of cme. It does not roll over year to year.

[AbeTheBabe]

I get $2,000 and a week off every year. Unfortunately licenses/organizations are not covered.

 

California PA license + CAPA Membership + AAPA Membership + DEA License = $1,000+ a year. Yikes!

 

If I don't need the money for CME I can apply it for those things though.

[Arthropathy]

$1500/yr plus 1 week PTO. To be used as I we fit. Professional dues and license fees are covered separate.

[billo]

$1500 CME, 5 CME days.  I