Any new learning which contributes to your personal development can be considered as CPD. The GMC suggests (Guidance on supporting information for appraisal and revalidation) that doctors’ CPD activities are ‘based on your day-to-day work and what you think you will need in the future to carry out all the roles and responsibilities that are (or are likely to become) part of your scope of practice.’
CPD activities do not have to be formally accredited to be recognised as CPD. Individuals are encouraged to assess the content of meetings and other CPD activities in relation to their own PDP and to make a judgement about how well they contribute to personal development.
Each year, members should aim to undertake a range of CPD activities which address all of their personal development needs. The amount of CPD to be done each year therefore depends upon the personal development needs of each individual member.
Categories of CPD
Categories may assist some members to classify their CPD and to ensure that a balance of activities is undertaken. Categories of CPD activities include (but are not limited to):
- Learning as part of your job
- Group work, seminars and journal clubs
- Conferences
- Workshops and educational meetings
- Formal courses
- Private study and reading
- Audit
- Research
- Organisational development activities
- Inspection and review activities
Exclusion
Teaching and examining, routine business meetings and committee activity, and routine academic activities (such as writing articles for peer-reviewed journals, chapters in books or official policy documents) are not normally creditable as CPD. However, sometimes such activities may provide access to significant new learning which may prove to be excellent for CPD. It is up to individual members to identify what constitutes new learning on which it is useful for them to reflect.
