OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether short courses offered by ISPOR at its Annual Meeting are a cost-effective means of education and enhancing meeting attendance, or if the type, complexity, number, or duration of the courses should be changed. METHOD: Four different survey techniques were used. Participants were surveyed about: a) effectiveness of individual courses and instructors; b) convenience of courses being offered at the Annual Meeting; c) pros and cons of the courses; and d) the numbers and hours taken by participants in different sub-populations. A break-even analysis was done to determine the number of participants who need to attend a course before ISPOR can recover its fixed costs. RESULTS: Three hundred one people (12% non-members, 11% non-USA based) took 538 courses at the Annual Meeting, and the response rate to the survey was 58%. New courses and suggestions were offered for improving the quality. A break-even analysis determined that 17 people were needed for new courses. The average number and duration of courses was 1.79 and 8.7 hours respectively. There was no difference in results between members and non-members, or between USA and non-USA participants, but hours differed significantly based on participant setting. The courses were considered useful by 95% and recommended by 91% of respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Strong interest in adding new courses and increasing the complexity of existing courses shows that opportunities exist for expansion by adding courses and increasing the number of 8 hour courses. Specific marketing plans should be developed to increase the average number of courses/hours taken by attendees. Live courses should continue to be offered in conjunction with the Annual Meeting to promote ISPOR membership and attendance at the Annual Meeting. Existing course instructors should continue to add more cases, workshop sessions, and involve the participants in active learning.