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I think part of this is about staying up to date. I'm not sure if there's a legal requirement for ongoing training? But I've had the experience of going to an older physician and being told my theory is impossible, based on a hypothesis that was disproven in the early 1970s (incidentally, right after the physician graduated).

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Yes. Doctors in the US have to get a certain amount of Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits (usually done by attending conferences and lectures).

So they are being taught by the pharmaceutical industry?

I'm not sure about it being a legal requirement in all states (may be) but is generally done by the boards that oversee one's specialties (with some very vague and inconsequential requirements by the state licensing boards).

Unfortunately it seems mostly to be a money grab in many specialties, with passing rates in the high 90s for recertification exams, fees of over a thousand dollars, and often with multiple retries if one fails (as long as you pay the fee for each attempt).

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