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Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in palliative medicine: a survey
Mari Lloyd-Williams1, Suzanne Kite, Fiona Hicks
1School of Population, Community and Behavioural Sciences, University of Liverpool Medical School, Liverpool, UK. mlw@liv.ac.uk
Medical Teacher
|May 19, 2006
Summary
Many palliative medicine doctors struggle to meet Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements, especially those not on the specialist register. Barriers exist in planning, participation, and recording CPD, necessitating both individual support and organizational changes.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Palliative Care
- Professional Development
Background:
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is mandatory for doctors for appraisal and re-validation.
- The palliative medicine workforce is diverse, including many part-time practitioners with identical CPD obligations.
- Challenges in meeting CPD requirements may disproportionately affect certain subgroups within palliative medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the extent to which palliative medicine doctors met their CPD requirements between April 2001 and March 2002.
- To identify specific problems and difficulties encountered by these doctors in undertaking CPD.
- To evaluate doctors' understanding of appraisal and revalidation processes.
Main Methods:
- A survey questionnaire was distributed to doctors in non-training palliative medicine posts in October 2002.
- Data collected focused on CPD activities and understanding of appraisal/revalidation requirements for the 2001-2002 period.
- A response rate of 53% (381 out of 721 doctors) was achieved.
Main Results:
- Only 43% of respondents met their CPD requirements, with a median of 25 credits (range 5-375 hours).
- Doctors on the Specialist Register were more likely to meet requirements (64%) compared to those with charitable contracts (33%).
- Less than half of doctors not on the specialist register understood CPD and revalidation requirements.
Conclusions:
- Significant barriers hinder palliative medicine doctors from planning, participating in, and recording CPD.
- Doctors not on the specialist register appear particularly disadvantaged in meeting CPD obligations.
- Addressing individual information needs and enhancing organizational support are crucial for improving CPD compliance in palliative medicine and potentially other specialties.