AMA launches low-cost CPD home

Medicolegal

By Geir O'Rourke

8 May 2023

The AMA has launched its CPD home alternative, promising a “high-quality” learning experience for less than half the price charged by the RACP.

Part of the AMA’s DoctorPortal Learning subsidiary, the offering is the first CPD home accredited outside the specialist medical colleges, under the Medical Board of Australia’s shake-up of doctors’ continuing education.

Fees are $880 for non-AMA members, equivalent to 44% of the $1998 annual subscription for RACP fellows in 2023.

Discounts are also available for AMA members, bringing the annual cost of using the service down to $440.

But with membership of a CPD home becoming a mandatory condition of medical registration from next year, board chair Dr Anne Tonkin said the expectation was “most” specialists would remain with their college.

The RACP has stressed its CPD program has already been adapted to meet the board’s new requirements, with fellows needing to complete at least 50 hours CPD each year comprising at least:

  • 25 hours ‘reviewing performance and measuring outcomes’
  • 5 hours traditional learning or education activities such as reading or attending lectures and conferences
  • A mandatory professional development plan every year

“For specialists, my take home message is that you will really notice very little difference,” Dr Tonkin told the limbic last month (listen to the full interview here).

“You’ll notice the need to write a plan, but you’ll find that really easy, and you’ll notice the need to reflect on the plan at the end of the year.”

“Again, that’s really pretty straightforward. It doesn’t have to be in great detail.”

While no specialist society had publicly declared an intention to become a CPD home themselves, the regulator was still accepting applications and more options were likely to become available soon, Dr Tonkin added.

“The colleges are very experienced at providing CPD. They’ve grasped the new requirements with great enthusiasm and great expertise.”

“For those who are not specialists, the need to find a CPD will start to come up towards the end of this year and by then, we hope there will be several to choose from. Those people who are currently doing undirected CPD are the ones who I think will notice the biggest difference from what they are doing now.”

The AMA’s CPD Home said it was accepting memberships to practitioners including specialists across the country, as well as any PGY2+ doctors including IMGs and non-VR registered doctors.

AMA membership fees vary depending on location and factors such as role, working hours and level of training, but for specialists in private practice begin at about $1,600 annually.

 

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