• Home
  • About
  • Advocacy
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Surgical News
  • Sign In
RACS logo
  • Become a surgeon
  • Trainees
  • Fellows
  • SIMGs
  • Research & audit

Key Information

  • About specialist surgeons
  • How do I become a surgeon?
  • Selection process and requirements
  • Admission to Fellowship
  • International surgical training
  • View all

Resources

  • eLearning courses & resources
  • College events
  • Interest groups and sections
  • Scholarships and grants

Key Information

  • Trainee Association (RACSTA)
  • The surgical training program
  • Surgical specialties
  • Examinations
  • Training post accreditation
  • View all

Education for Trainees

  • Skills training courses
  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Specialist training program
  • Library
  • View all

Resources

  • Training standards for surgeons
  • Surgeon wellbeing
  • College events
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Interest groups and sections
  • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
  • View all

Key Information and resources

  • 'Find a Surgeon' & 'practice card'
  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  • Reports, guidelines & publications
  • Fellowship
  • Interest groups and sections
  • View all

Fellowship Education and Training

  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Skills training courses
  • Wellbeing
  • Professional development courses
  • Library
  • View all

For supervisors, educators and trainers

  • Academy of Surgical Educators
  • Supervisor Support Hub
  • RACS skills & education centre
  • Become a mentor
  • Post-fellowship training
  • View all

Key Information

  • SIMG overview
  • Pathways
  • Apply
  • Contacts, guidelines and forms
  • View all

Education for SIMGs

  • Fellowship Examination
  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Skills training courses
  • Professional development courses
  • Library

Resources

  • Working in Australia and New Zealand
  • Surgeon wellbeing
  • Member benefits & services
  • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)

Key Information

  • Surgical mortality audits
  • Morbidity audits
  • Research & Evaluation, inc. ASERNIP-S
  • Laparoscopic skills training
  • Trauma Verification program
  • View all

Resources

  • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
  • My audits
  • College events
  • Interest groups and sections
  • Books & merchandise
  • View all
RACS logo
  • RACS login
    Sign In
  • Become a surgeon
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • About specialist surgeons
      • How do I become a surgeon?
      • Selection process and requirements
      • Admission to Fellowship
      • International surgical training
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • eLearning courses & resources
      • College events
      • Interest groups and sections
      • Scholarships and grants
  • Trainees
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • Trainee Association (RACSTA)
      • The surgical training program
      • Surgical specialties
      • Examinations
      • Training post accreditation
      • View all
    • Education for Trainees

      Education for Trainees

      • Skills training courses
      • eLearning courses & resources
      • Specialist training program
      • Library
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • Training standards for surgeons
      • Surgeon wellbeing
      • College events
      • Monitoring and Evaluation
      • Interest groups and sections
      • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
      • View all
  • Fellows
    • Key Information

      Key Information and resources

      • 'Find a Surgeon' & 'practice card'
      • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
      • Reports, guidelines & publications
      • Fellowship
      • Interest groups and sections
      • View all
    • Fellowship Education and Training

      Fellowship Education and Training

      • eLearning courses & resources
      • Skills training courses
      • Wellbeing
      • Professional development courses
      • Library
      • View all
    • For Educators and Trainers

      For supervisors, educators and trainers

      • Academy of Surgical Educators
      • Supervisor Support Hub
      • RACS skills & education centre
      • Become a mentor
      • Post-fellowship training
      • View all
  • SIMGs
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • SIMG overview
      • Pathways
      • Apply
      • Contacts, guidelines and forms
      • View all
    • Education for IMGs

    • Resources

      Resources

      • Working in Australia and New Zealand
      • Surgeon wellbeing
      • Member benefits & services
      • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
  • Research & audit
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • Surgical mortality audits
      • Morbidity audits
      • Research & Evaluation, inc. ASERNIP-S
      • Laparoscopic skills training
      • Trauma Verification program
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
      • My audits
      • College events
      • Interest groups and sections
      • Books & merchandise
      • View all
  • Home
  • About
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Surgical News
  • Library
In This Section
  • CPD News & Updates
  • RACS CPD Home
  • CPD profiles
  • How do I complete my CPD?
  • What activities does RACS Provide?
  • How do I join the RACS CPD program?
  • What is CPD?
  • CPD Program FAQ's
  • Guides, Policies & Standards
  1. HOME
  2. Fellows
  3. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  4. How do I complete my CPD?

How do I complete my CPD?

CPD Online is available to you to help you manage and track your CPD.

Here you will find information about how the program is personalised to meet your learning needs.

On this page

  • CPD dashboard  
  • CPD mobile app
  • Completing my CPD
  • CPD Profiles
  • Cultural Safety, Addressing Health Inequity, Professionalism and Ethical Practice (CAPE)
  • Verification 
  • Structured conversation
  • Exemptions
  • Participation in another CPD program (RACS Fellows only)
  • Appeals
  • Support

CPD dashboard  

Keeping track of your CPD requirements with RACS just got easier with a new CPD dashboard.

Features include:

  • A new colour system to let you know what’s outstanding, what’s in progress and what’s complete
  • Complete your CPD (Learning Plan) in two parts; Goals, and Reflection
  • Record activities and hours for Audit, Education, and Performance Review related activities
  • Complete and manage Audit, Education, and Performance Review related activities
  • Record the exact hours and multiple types of peer reviewed audits you complete
  • Track and progress your CAPE requirements as activities are updated
  • Have capped activities auto-populate competencies and hours before saving

Watch a video on the CPD dashboard below.

CPD mobile app

With the CPD mobile app, you can manage your CPD from the palm of your hand by completing CPD activities as per your individual Learning Plan.

To download the app, access either the iOS, Android or Windows App Store on your mobile phone and search for ‘RACS CPD’

Once logged in, you should be able to add activities by selecting the + button at the bottom of the screen.

The CPD Mobile App icon is displayed below: 

cpd dashboard

Completing my CPD

The RACS Program is an annual program implemented across a calendar year (1 January - 31 December). Participants are expected to have their CPD submitted by no later than 28 February.

The CPD Program requires participants to self-report their activity. Once a participant has logged sufficient activity against each category, the online platform will automatically recognise their compliance with the requirements. Participants can finalise their CPD for that year and access a CPD certificate.

For those participants who are selected to verify their participation – 5% per annum – they must first provide evidence of participation in the activities logged, sufficient to meet the minimum requirement for each category.

CPD Profiles

Please click here to access example profiles and how they would complete their CPD.

Cultural Safety, Addressing Health Inequity, Professionalism and Ethical Practice (CAPE)

In Australia, the MBA requires all CPD programs to set program level requirements relating to cultural safety, addressing health inequities, professionalism and ethical practice. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the MCNZ requires a recertification program to define the required participation in activities that maintain and develop the knowledge, skills and performance required for safe and appropriate practice in the relevant scope(s) of practice. This must include the areas of cultural safety, professionalism and ethical practice and that cultural safety and a focus on health equity are embedded across all CPD categories..

To meet this standard, CPD participants should select cultural competence and cultural safety once (1), Health Advocacy once (1), and Professionalism twice (2) across all CPD activities, excluding your CPD Plan (Learning Plan).

See below: 

competencies

Each time a CAPE requirement is met, it progresses in the section titled CAPE Compliance, on your CPD Dashboard.

See below: 

competencies

It should be noted that CAPE can be met by any activity type in any CPD category, provided the competencies have been selected. If CAPE requirements are not met, then CPD compliance cannot be achieved.

Verification 

Each year 5% of RACS participants are selected to verify their CPD activity. The verification process requires participants to submit supporting documentation for their activities to a level sufficient to meet the minimum requirements in each category. Participants will also need to demonstrate that the activities are relevant to their self-defined Areas of Practice.

Please see information on acceptable documents for verification (PDF 167.89KB).

Participants selected for verification will be notified at least 6 weeks before the end of the CPD period.

Structured conversation

A structured conversation is a mandatory requirement for Aotearoa New Zealand participants in the RACS CPD Program and is an optional activity for Australian participants.

A structured conversation is undertaken with a peer, colleague or employer about the doctor’s clinical practice. The intent of this activity is to provide time for the doctor to reflect on their development needs, their goals for learning and professional activities and their intentions for the next year. Doctors are encouraged to use the information they have obtained undertaking activities across the three types of CPD to inform this conversation. The below template may assist you.

Download the structured conversation template (DOCX 71.36KB)

Exemptions

You can make an application for an exemption through your CPD dashboard. All applications are and assessed confidentially by the Professional Standards Manager and/or CPD Lead.  Where further information or assessment is required, the Professional Standards Manager or CPD Lead will contact the participant to confirm their consent to escalate the matter to the Executive Director for Surgical Affairs (Australia), Surgical Advisor (Aotearoa New Zealand) or the Professional Standards Chair.

Requests for exemptions can be for the full requirement or a partial exemption from one or more category.

 

Participation in another CPD program (RACS Fellows only)

Fellows of RACS in orthopaedics can elect to participate in the AOA or NZOA CPD Programs, which are recognised by RACS as comparable. Fellows choosing this option can notify the College either online or via email of their participation in an alternative program.

Appeals

As part of RACS’ commitment to continuous improvement, a new three-step system to facilitate the reassessment of RACS decisions has been introduced.

This process is available to any person, organization, or body corporate directly affected by an adverse decision made in relation to the training and education functions of the College.

Where applicable, and after meeting the requirements set out in the Reconsideration, Review, and Appeals Policy (RRA Policy), applicants can have an adverse decision reassessed as per the three steps outlined below.

For further information, please refer to RRA on the RACS website.

Support

You can contact us via email at [email protected] or by phone +61 3 9249 1282. 

 

In addition to guides, professional development and standards, RACS offers support to participants to complete their CPD via:
  • Executive Director for Surgical Affairs (EDSA) in Australia and Surgical Advisors in Aotearoa New Zealand - available for advice and support on request
  • Clinical Director (SIMG) - available to support SIMG’s on a pathway to FRACS
  • Audit Assistance;
    • Peer review of audit
    • Peer review of medico legal reports via the RACS medico legal section
    • Peer review of locum logbooks facilitate via the EDSA
    • Advice on ANZASM participation via the Clinical Director, Research and Audit
  • Access to support for re-entry and re-skilling program
  • RACS Fellows and SIMGs can access the RACS Support Program
Back to Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  • CPD News & Updates
  • RACS CPD Home
  • CPD profiles
  • How do I complete my CPD?
  • What activities does RACS Provide?
  • How do I join the RACS CPD program?
  • What is CPD?
  • CPD Program FAQ's
  • Guides, Policies & Standards
Back To Top
  • For Patients
  • Find a surgeon
  • Home
  • About
  • Media
  • Corporate Partnerships
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Sign in
  • Surgical News
  • About RACS
  • About the College of Surgeons
  • About RACS offices
  • Global Health
  • Specialty societies & affiliated organisations
  • Surgeon wellbeing
  • Building Respect
  • College fees
  • Position papers
  • Policies
  • College events
  • Education
  • Skills training courses
  • Professional Development
  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Specialist Training Program
  • Become a Surgeon
  • About specialist surgeons
  • How do I become a surgeon?
  • Selection requirements
  • International surgical training
  • Admission to Fellowship
  • Fellowship
See all News

  • RACS supports call for medical leadership in workforce planning
  • RACS supports extension of safety standards to non-surgical cosmetic practitioners
  • RACS Aotearoa New Zealand Trauma Committee writes to Ministers about "Run It Straight"
Indigenous motifs
Logo
  • ABN 29 004 167 766
  • Disclaimer and privacy