The Academy for Science and Continuing Education in Diabetes and Obesity (ASCEND) is a free online CME-accredited educational content covering diabetes and obesity. The E-learning Portal is a learning programme to support general practitioners/family physicians to improve patient outcomes through interactive knowledge and skills-based learning. Wonca Europe has been partnering with ASCEND to review and endorse its educational activities.
Live webinars and workshops for family doctors will be hosted throughout 2021 on the ASCEND portal. These focus on practical management of diabetes and obesity in primary care and are free and open to anyone who has an interest. The faculty is international and is made of endocrinologists, diabetes specialists and family doctors and the sessions include interactivities and panel discussions with the opportunity for audience questions.
ASCEND is an independent learning programme developed by an international Steering Group. The objective is to provide very practical and evidence-based learning to family doctors across the world to improve outcomes for people living with diabetes or obesity. The ASCEND portal includes over 20 hours of learning in English, Spanish, French and German and is accredited by EACCME.
The content in the portal is highly structured, consisting of videos and short modules which are easily navigated and enables the user to complete the course at their own pace and convenience. There are clear learning objectives in a goal-orientated approach. The content has been designed to be accessible for the learner with extensive use of visuals and reference to clinical practice. A variety of formats has been used including podcasts, downloadable resources, and interactive elements. Not only do these encourage engagement of the user but they also facilitate learning through reiteration and active participation in tasks.