LLL Programme

WELCOME TO THE LLL PROGRAMME IN CLINICAL NUTRITION AND METABOLISM

The Life Long Learning (LLL) programme in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism is an extremely effective educational programme for medical doctors and health specialists offering training on-line and at live courses, by variety of innovative training methodologies and resources.

LLL programme in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism is based on an Educational curriculum offering 120 training modules (90 are already available on-line) created and peer reviewed by recognized European experts.
The Modules are freely accessible on-line after registration (go to Create new account).

The module is the main educational unit of LLL-Programme. Each module consists of updated review on a certain problem, clinical case, self-assessment test and grading quiz. Modules on related subject areas are grouped into Topics making it easier for the user to select modules in a particular field of interest.
Live courses (4-5 per year) provide intensive training and certification. Annual schedule of live courses is announced here and on ESPEN website.

Credits are awarded at live courses and for on-line training. Participation in a live course on one topic provides 3 CME credits. Each topic taken on-line provides up to 4 CME credits according to activities undertaken. Credit accumulation gives you the opportunity to be awarded the ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition.
LLL Programme in Nutrition and Metabolism is a global effort of ESPEN supported by EU to provide post-graduate qualification in Clinical Nutrition and thus to improve daily practice.
It was developed as the project BG-03-B-F-PP-166039 of Leonardo da Vinci Programme by ESPEN and a number ofEuropean universities with the support of European Union.
LLL Programme in Nutrition and Metabolism was accredited by Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes.

How to start

LLL programme in Clinical Nutrition provides the opportunity to study on an individual plan comprising self-selected list of modules and live courses, to collect credits and certificates for ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition.
There are no fees for participation or for credit accumulation from the on-line educational activities of the LLL programme.
1. Register on-line by clicking on Create new account. Fill in the registration form with your details, including your username and a password. An email will be immediately sent to your email address.
2. To confirm your new account, please click on the link given in the email. Your first access to the LLL programme will be from your email address.

3. You can use the Module catalogue to get acquainted with short description of all topics and modules that are already developed and those which are to be developed by the end of 2009.
4. To start your session you can choose from On-line Courses menu the topic of your interest. You will be invited to enrol for the topic. The enrolment for the topic is formal; don’t hesitate to click “Yes” on the window that appears.
5. The enrolment provides you free access to LLL programme.
Now you have access to the educational content, all options and recourses of the topics and modules and an opportunity to get credits and certificates.

How to learn on-line?

Learning on-line is a compulsory component of your training in the LLL programme. About 50-60 credits must be earned from On-line Courses for acquisition of ESPEN Diploma.

The On-line Course offers a set of self-training activities in each topic. It provides access to study selected modules on-line and earn credits. Each Topic consists of 4 modules (2-6).
The module is an educational unit of the LLL programme in Nutrition. Each module consists of updated review on a specific problem, clinical case, self-assessment test and grading quiz.

1. To start your on-line training in the LLL programme login with your personal username and password.
2. Go to Course Categories (My courses), click on On-line Courses (Topics) and select a topic of your interest.
3. You will be invited to enrol for the topic. The enrolment is just a formal procedure; don’t hesitate to click “Yes” on the window that appears.
   Note: You are not obliged to run for credits and certificates after enrolment.
4. In case you want to get credits, Login with your password and update your profile with your personal data. It will form the basis of your personalized portfolio, enabling the system to follow and evaluate your progress.
   Note: Without a complete profile you cannot acquire any certification.
5. Customize your Portfolio according to your educational experience to meet your personal interests and goals.
6. The enrolment for each topic provides you with free access to the educational content, all options and recourses of its constituent modules and an opportunity to get credits and certificates. The LLL programme automatically adds each enrolled topic to your portfolio.
7. Select a module of your interest. On the Module page you will find the updated reviews on the subject, clinical case and self-assessment-test. The floating menu available on the left will facilitate your study process. Use it to access each part of the module, as well as the clinical case and the self-assessment test.
8. Get the printable version of the module by clicking on Printable Version at the top of the page.
9. View or download a presentation of the module by clicking on Slides at the top of the page.
10. Study the module.
11. Read the clinical case and answer the questions.
12. Do the self-assessment test.
13. When you complete these activities you can go back to the “Topic outline” page and make a grading quiz for each module.
14. Take the advantage to earn 1 credit from 1 grading quiz. Credits are awarded by the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes (UEMS), which is recognised for Continuing Medical Education (CME) in most countries
15. You can earn 4 CME credits for each topic in case you pass the grading quizzes of the topic. Topics generally contain 4 modules, but some of them contain 2, 3, 5 or 6 modules, in this case you will earn from2-6 CME credits).
16. In case you are not interested to make a grading quiz, you will earn 1 CME credit if you enrol for an on-line course for one topic, study all the modules included, answer the questions of the clinical cases and check your knowledge with the self-assessment tests.
17. If the selected module fulfils your needs and requirements you are invited to join the Live Course on that topic at the annual live sessions (go to How to learn at Live Course). Information about the scheduled Live Courses you can find on the Homepage.

How to learn at Live Course?

Live Course is a compulsory component of your training in the LLL programme. 40-50 credits (minimum 42 credits) must be earned from Live Courses for ESPEN Diploma.

The live course for each topic includes 4 modules and has a 4 hour format. The modules are delivered by recognised experts in clinical nutrition.

Each live course consists of 3 components:

• lectures;
• case reviews;
• assessment test.

Each live course provides 3 CME credits, accredited by the “Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes” (UEMS), which is recognised for Continuing Medical Education (CME) in most countries.

Live courses on various topics are organized annually by ESPEN during the annual ESPEN congress. Live courses on specific topics are also organized by PEN societies in collaboration with ESPEN.
These courses cover all main topics of the curriculum over a period of 4-5 years. The schedule of the Live courses is announced on the ESPEN website  as well as in “Live Courses” menu in Course Categories.
The advantages of the Live courses are: intensive training, peer-learning, certification of competencies, discussion on clinical cases, opportunity for communication and immediate feedback used for quality assessment of the LLL programme.
Before attending a Live course, you must have been registered on the LLL website, and should undertake all modules included in the Live course from the corresponding on-line courses. Only then you can register for the Live course.

A schedule for 19 Topics is proposed for ESPEN 31st congress which will be held on 28 of August by 1 of September 2009 in Vienna.

You are welcome to attend and earn credits for a maximum of 8 topics.
Note:  A TLLL course (Teach the Teacher course) will be held on 28th of August for ESPEN members –ESPEN LLL teachers in future. To participate in TLLL course you have to prepare a following application:

• Short CV
• Recommendation from national PEN society /“letter of support”
• Summary of the educational experience
• Certificate from LLL live course  (at least one)

The application material has to be sent to Rémy Meier (Director of LLL-programme) and Alastair Forbes, Chairman of  ESPEN ECPC.

Credit accumulation
The programme owns rules for training, tracking, remediation, assessment of academic achievement and certification. It awards credits and competency-based certificates for Continuing Medical Education (CME) and ESPEN Diploma on Clinical Nutrition.
Individual e-Portfolio: The LLL programme gives an opportunity to study on an individual plan comprising self-selected list of modules, courses and lectures, adaptive release of content and activities, to collect certificates and credits for ESPEN Diploma on Clinical Nutrition

Follow these steps to earn 4 CME credits (from2-6  credits depending on the Topic) and a certificate from on-line activities
To receive a certificate for 4 CME credits from on-line activities, you must do the self-assessment test and then the grading quiz for each module in the topic.

• Select a topic of your interest.
• Study the modules one by one.
• Read the clinical case and answer the questions.
• Do the self-assessment tests.
• Then go to the “TOPIC outline” page.
• Below the list of modules there is a grading quiz for each module.
• Click on the corresponding grading quiz. You are allowed to make two attempts for each quiz and the best score will be registered in your portfolio.
• Click on “Attempt quiz now” and start answering the questions. Each of your answers must be submitted so that you could check if it is correct or not.
• After you finish your first attempt you can either save it without submitting, submit it or finalize it. Once you finalize your attempt you will see a review of your sores and you will be no longer able to change your answers.
• Click on “Re-attempt quiz” if you want to improve your result.
• You must score at least 70% in order to receive 1 CME credit per module.
• Credits will be tallied for each module and kept in your portfolio for 6 years; at any point within this time period you can print out the tally as well as the certificates by accessing "Edit Your Profile" at the top of your personal homepage
• Please provide feedback for the LLL programme from the link on the home page in the Main Menu.
• When you complete these activities you will be awarded 4 CME credits.

In case you are not interested to make a grading quiz, you will earn 1 CME credit per topic from on-line self-training: Reading the module, reading the clinical case and answering the questions, making the self-assessment test. After you complete these activities you will be awarded 1 CME credit.

A schedule for 19 Topics is proposed for ESPEN 31st congress which will be held in Vienna on 28 of August by 1 of September, 2009. You can attend and earn credits for a maximum of 8 topics as some of the courses take place at the same time.

Certificates and Diploma

Rules for credit accumulation for acquisition of Certificates
The competencies and skills acquired by users of the LLL programme in Nutrition are assessed and certified. ESPEN LLL programme in Clinical Nutrition is accredited by the “Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes” (UEMS), which is recognised for Continuing Medical Education (CME) in most countries.

Certification is provided at several levels:

• A certificate for 3 CME credits for each specific topic at a live course after its successful completion.
• A certificate for 4 CME credits (from 2-6 credits depending on the Topic) from on-line activities for one topic is awarded after you do the self-assessment test for each module and successfully pass the corresponding grading quizzes for the Topic.
• 1 CME credit is awarded for on-line self-training after successful completion of each on-line course/topic in case you don’t pass grading quizzes.

Certificates are provided at Live courses. You can earn the credits for each topic according to the completed activities:

You can get “Topic maximum” and earn 7 CME credits from on-line and live course on one topic in case you successfully pass both self-assessment test and grading quiz for each module and then participate in the live course

• 3 CME credits per topic from live course
• 4 CME credits per topic from complete on-line activities. (In case in your selected topic the number of modules is 2, 3, 5 or-6, you will receive depending on the Topic from 2-6 credits for on-line activity).

Rules for credit accumulation for Diploma

ESPEN DIPLOMA
Users / participants in LLL programme  who successfully complete their training and meet the respective requirements of LLL programme for Diploma will receive the ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Two kinds of ESPEN Diploma will be awarded:
1. ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism will be awarded to health professionals (Masters/Bachelors) participants in LLL programme, who succeeded to collect 120 credits from live courses, on-line self training and final examination.

2. EUROPEAN ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism with credits granted by  Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes, and recognized for Continuing Medical Education  in most countries will be awarded to physicians after the completion of the requirements for diploma - collection of 120 credits: 100 credits from on-line and live courses and 20 credits from successful final examination.

Rules to accumulate 120 credits for ESPEN Diploma:
You must accumulate 100 CME credits in order to sit the final exam, which brings the remaining 20 credits.

• 58  (50-60) credits from on-line courses;
• 42  (40 -50) credits from live courses
• 20 credits from successful completion of a final exam.

The earned credits are verified with certificates issued for each on-line or live course undertaken.

You are not allowed to sit the final exam in case you have not accumulated 100 CME credits from the on-line and live courses.
Note: On-line modules can be made more valuable by performing additional specific educational activities which bring additional credit.

These activities include reports and clinical case studies developed as assignments.