LLL Programme

WELCOME TO THE LIFE LONG LEARNING PROGRAMME IN CLINICAL NUTRITION AND METABOLISM

Life Long Learning (LLL) Programme in Nutrition was developed by ESPEN and a number of European universities with the support of the European Union, Leonardo da Vinci Programme, project BG-03-B-F-PP-166039.

LLL Programme in Nutrition is a global effort of ESPEN supported by the EU to improve daily practice in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism by means of innovative educational initiative.

LLL Programme in Nutrition is based on an educational curriculum developed by European experts and uses a variety of innovative learning methodologies and resources.

LLL Programme in Nutrition is extremely effective as it successfully combines on–line training with live courses, which round out the learning experience.

LLL Programme offers 120 training modules (70 of which are already available on-line) created and peer reviewed by recognized experts.

The Modules are freely accessible on-line after registration (“Create new Account”). Modules on related subject areas are grouped into topics making it easier for the user to select modules in a particular field of interest. Each module consists of an updated review of a specific problem, a clinical case, and a self assessment test.

Live courses (4-5 per year) provide intensive training and certification. The annual programme is announced on the LLL website (link) and on the ESPEN website.
 
The programme incorporates rules for training, tracking, mediation, assessment of academic achievement, and certification. It awards credits and competency-based certificates for Continuing Medical Education (CME), and ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition.

Individual e-Portfolio: The LLL programme provides the opportunity to study on an individual plan comprising self-selected lists of modules, courses and lectures, adaptive release of content and activities, so as to collect certificates and credits for ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition.

Credits are awarded at live courses and for on-line training. Each live course provides 3 CME credits for the topic concerned. Each topic studied on-line provides credits for self-training and for on-line evaluation.

1. LIVE COURSES

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 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 by ESPEN during the annual ESPEN congress and in collaboration with national PEN societies. All main topics of the curriculum are covered at these courses over a period of 4-5 years. The schedule of the live courses is announced on the ESPEN website.

Each live course consists of 3 components:

• lectures;
• case reviews;
• assessment test.
  
  

The advantages of the live courses are: opportunity for communication with experts, discussion on clinical cases, certification of competencies, and immediate feedback used for quality assessment of the LLL programme.
Before attending a live course, participants must be registered on the LLL website, and should undertake all on-line modules from the topics included in the corresponding live course. Only then it is possible to register for the live course.

2. e-learning / learning on-line / on-line modules

To get benefit/credits from on-line learning the trainee has to register for the ESPEN LLL Programme (www.lll-nutrition.com or via the ESPEN website) and undertake the relevant web-based/on-line modules. The modules are freely accessible on-line and present updated reviews on the subject, together with a clinical case and a self-assessment test. As the modules are grouped into topics, the trainee will normally select topics of interest and then work on their constituent modules.
Undertaking the required activities (detailed below) will enable the receipt of additional credits:

- on-line self-training for each module includes: reading the module, working over it and answering the questions in the self-assessment test; reading the clinical case and answering the questions. Self-training provides 1 credit per topic. Self-assessment tests are not followed up by LLL administrator.

- on-line evaluation for each module includes: working over the module and answering the questions from the grading quiz provided for each module. On-line evaluation provides 0.5 credits per module. 

 3. Diploma in Clinical Nutrition

Certification and Diploma

The competencies and skills acquired in the LLL programme in Nutrition are assessed and certified.

Certification is provided at several levels:

• A certificate for 3 CME credits for each specific topic is awarded after successful completion of a live course.  
• A certificate for 1 CME credit is awarded for on-line self-training after the successful completion of each topic. 
• A certificate for 0.5 CME credits is awarded after successful completion of the on-line evaluation (grading quiz) for each module (4 x 0.5 = 2 CME credits).

For each module in a topic the trainee will be awarded 0.5 credits in case he/she passes on-line evaluation/quiz successfully. As in each topic there are at least 4 modules, it brings 2 additional credits (4 x 0.5 = 2 credits) from on-line evaluation.

So totally there are: 6 credits for one topic

• 3 credits per topic from live course
• 1 credit per topic from on-line self-training
• 2 credits per topic from on-line evaluation

Diploma

• The Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) is awarded after successful accumulation of 120 credits
  • 100 credits awarded after completion of the above mentioned activities, at least 50 out of these 100 credits are from live courses
  • 20 credits awarded after successful completion of final assessment/final exam

4. Rules for credit accumulation for Diploma:

Credit accumulation from different modules provides users of the LLL Programme with the opportunity to be awarded the ESPEN Diploma in Nutrition.

Users must accumulate 100 CME credits in order to sit the final exam, which brings 20 credits.
There are two kinds of modules - mandatory and optional. The modules from Topic 1 to Topic 9 are mandatory. Considerable flexibility exists regarding the optional modules.

The personalized portfolio depends on the trainee’s aim. It is recommended that trainees choose optional modules, which are most appropriate for their specialty and discipline.

The credits should be distributed according to the special requirements detailed below:
9 basic mandatory topics for 50 credits (combined activity at Live courses and on-line).

Note: On-line modules can be made more valuable by performing additional specific educational activities which bring additional credits. These activities include reports and clinical case studies developed as assignments.

To obtain the ESPEN Diploma in Nutrition it is necessary to enroll for the programme before starting credit accumulation.