4. Most of us attend continuous medical education activities on the assumption that attendance at such activities will keep us up-to-date. In a randomized trial, a group of practicing clinicians were asked to list the most important subject matter that they felt that they needed continuous medical education activity. Once that was done, the group was randomized into an experimental group receiving continuous medical education on their choice of topics and a controlled group who were not offered this continuous medical education activity. Their knowledge base in the area covered was assessed and, in the experimental group, the performance was better, compared to the controlled group. More importantly, when the medical records of these clinicians were monitored, to see whether the continuous medical education has caused change in the quality of care they provide to their patients, there was no difference between the experimental and the control group.