If you blinked lately, you might have missed a new opportunity to earn CME credit online at the AAFP Web site. AFP online CME cases have become a reality and can be found atwww.aafp.org/afp/cases/. But just what are these online cases?

AFP's online cases are designed to provide family physicians with another option for obtaining CME. The cases offer high-quality, peer-reviewed CME on a variety of subjects relevant to family practice. Each case is presented in an interactive format; at important junctions, the user is asked to make a choice that then dictates his or her path through the case. Each case includes a summary and a short CME quiz to reinforce key concepts. Where appropriate, cases make use of the multimedia capabilities of the Web. So, for example, a case on cardiac auscultation allows users to listen to heart murmurs and one on refractory hypertension shows users the results of a funduscopic examination. The cases also provide links to online resources such as clinical guidelines and patient education materials. In addition, an electronic bulletin board is available that offers users a chance to interact with the author, the medical editor and other participants.

The online cases are developed under the direction of one of AFP's contributing editors, Mark Zamorski, M.D., M.H.S.A., along with staff from the special projects department of the AAFP publications division. Dr. Zamorski is a clinical assistant professor of family medicine in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.

Cases may tie in with topics covered in AFP articles. Five cases are currently available:

• “Practical Management of Panic Disorder: Part 1. Using Antidepressants,” by Mark Zamorski, M.D., M.H.S.A.

• “Practical Management of Panic Disorder: Part 2. Benzodiazepines,” by Mark Zamorski, M.D., M.H.S.A.

• “Auscultation of Systolic Murmurs in the Adult Patient,” by Jeffrey M. Weinfeld, M.D.

• “Evaluation and Management of Difficult-to-Control Hypertension: Part 1. Lifestyle Modifications and Patient Adherence,” by Anthony F. Jerant, M.D.

• “Evaluation and Management of Difficult-to-Control Hypertension: Part 2. Evaluation of Secondary Hypertension,” by Anthony F. Jerant, M.D.

Upcoming cases will focus on asthma, allergy and respiratory infections, as part of the AAFP's 2001 Annual Clinical Focus. Viewing access is free of charge, although there is a small fee for those wishing to obtain CME credit ($5 per case for AAFP members and $7 for nonmembers). Each case is approved for 0.5 hours of AAFP Prescribed credit.

Dr. Zamorski welcomes submissions for online cases. If you are interested in being an author for an online CME case, be sure to check out the instructions available atwww.aafp.org/afp/ocmeauth.html.