Friday 29 March, 2019

Continuing professional development (CPD) is important in maintaining competence within a profession, delivering benefits to the individual, the profession and the public.It is an ongoing process that continues throughout a professional's career.The Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) first introduced a CPD program in 1999 and since then it has undergone numerous changes, including becoming compulsory for all members in 2005.With the introduction of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme in 2012, CPD is now a mandatory regulation requirement for all medical radiation practitioners currently registered in Australia.ASMIRT's CPD requirements have changed over time and must evolve to remain relevant to members' education and professional development needs and expectations both now and into the future.The objective of this project was to undertake a complete review of the ASMIRT CPD program.The project involved seeking member satisfaction feedback, literature search on best CPD practices, and review of other professional societies' CPD programs both nationally and internationally.Members' opinions, attitudes and overall satisfaction with the CPD program were investigated via online questionnaires and focus groups.Three separate cohort groups were surveyed; ASMIRT financial voting members, CPD program participants, and appellation holders.Subsequent focus groups provided further in-depth data and explored themes raised from the initial questionnaire, ultimately providing a complete overview.The final results of this comprehensive research and recommendations for improvements to the ASMIRT CPD program will be discussed.