Covering the GAP and CPDs

COVERING THE GAP and CPDs

The recency of practice with a minimal gap is very important in securing a job in Australia. CPD (Continuing Professional Development) activities help in reducing the gap. These include attending workshops, training courses, webinars etc.

To ensure that they can practice competently and safely, medical practitioners must have recent practice in the fields in which they intend to work during the period of registration for which they are applying. To meet the standard, they must have practiced within their scope of practice for a minimum total of:

- Four weeks full-time equivalent in one year, which is a total of 152 hours, or

- 12 weeks full-time equivalent over three consecutive years, which is a total of 456 hours.

If a practitioner has been absent from practice, the specific requirements depend on the field of practice, their level of experience, and the length of absence from the field. If a practitioner proposes to change their field of practice, the Board will consider whether the practitioner's peers would view the change as a normal extension or variation within a field of practice, or a change that would require specific training and demonstration of competence.

Practitioners who are unable to meet the recency of practice requirements set out in the standard may need to complete professional development activities, submit a plan for re-entry to practice or other training or assessments. They may also be required to work under supervision or oversight, before being granted unrestricted registration. All registered medical practitioners (excludes practitioners with non-practicing registration) are required to participate regularly in continuing professional development (CPD) that is relevant to their scope of practice. This involves maintaining, developing, updating, and enhancing their knowledge, skills, and performance to ensure they deliver appropriate and safe care.

The CPD requirements that medical practitioners must comply with will depend on the type of registration that they hold and on the stage of their career. For example, medical practitioners who are on the specialist register are expected to comply with the CPD requirements of their specialist college. Interns and prevocational trainees are expected to participate in the supervised training and education programs associated with their position. Medical practitioners who are international medical graduates and have provisional registration must complete a minimum of 50 hours of CPD per year. All medical practitioners will be required to make a declaration that they have met the standard and have completed the necessary CPD when they apply for renewal of registration.

For more information about the CPD’S Registration Standard refer to: file:///C:/Users/dayjo/Downloads/Medical-Board---Registration-standard---Continuing-professional-development---1-October-2016%20(3).PDF

Some useful websites where you can find practical CPD activities:

Information for GPs

https://learn.nps.org.au/

https://www.thinkgp.com.au/user/register

Important for hospital jobs (transfusions) – Some hospitals will ask you to do it anyway

https://learn.bloodsafelearning.org.au/categories

Women’s health

https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-professionals/webinars

Men’s health

https://www.healthymale.org.au/

Radiology (very useful to start working)

https://radiopaedia.org/courses?lang=gb