New CPD Lead Fellow for RACMA

Dr Greg Watters has been appointed to the role of College CPD Lead Fellow. Currently a locum DMS, Dr Watters was the CPD Coordinator for New South Wales for three years. Before becoming a medical administrator in 2012, Dr Watters was a urologist practicing in rural NSW.

Dr Watters will be responsible for project management activities to support the realignment of the RACMA Continuing Education Program framework to align with the new Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) standards, which will be implemented during the next 12 months. This role will also be responsible for supporting the development and realignment of the MyRACMA Continuing Professional Development online platform.

To date the main source of CPD for FRACMAs and AFRACMAs has been through education and teaching. College Members have maintained a strong compliance rate but, according to Dr Watters, the revised MBA and MCNZ CPD registration standards will present some challenges as they require members to also review and reflect on their practice and measure and improve their outcomes.

In Australia under the changes, doctors will do 50 hours CPD each year, made up of:

• 25 hours active CPD – reviewing performance and measuring outcomes (doctors decide the best mix for these activities to suit their practice, with five hours minimum of each type)
• 12.5 hours traditional learning or educational activities – reading, lectures, conferences
• 12.5 hours – doctors choose across the three types of CPD.
• A professional development plan is mandatory

Detailed information regarding the changes for Australian practitioners can be found on the Medical Board of Australia’s website.

For Fellows registered in the New Zealand the new requirements are:

• Reviewing and reflecting on practice
• Measuring and improving outcomes
• Educational activities

In addition to the three categories above, these activities must be underpinned by:

• An annual conversation with a peer, colleague or employer
• A professional Development Plan
• A focus on Cultural safety and health equity

A summary of the Medical Council of New Zealand re-registration standards can be found here.

If you have any questions please email cpd@racma.edu.au.