The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) has launched a new professional development framework prompted by revised requirements from the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) and the Medical Board of Australia (MBA). Known as recertification in New Zealand and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Australia, the regulators are keen to strengthen the process and outcomes of lifelong learning for ophthalmologists, explained RANZCO’s CPD committee chair Dr Lawrence Lee, associate professor at the University of Queensland. “This aligns closely with RANZCO’s commitment to best patient outcomes, practitioner wellbeing and a culture of giving back.”

The new framework was launched in January 2022, a full year before it becomes a mandatory requirement from the MBA in Australia and six months prior to its commencement by the MCNZ. “The changes to the CPD framework are significant and we wanted to ensure our fellows are ahead of the curve and have time to understand and embrace these changes before they become mandatory,” said A/Prof Lee.

Key changes include the introduction of a mandatory Professional Development Plan and a minimum of 50 hours required to complete CPD, comprising 12.5 hours each of education, performance review and measuring outcomes, plus a further 12.5 hours drawn from a combination of these. “The introduction of the Professional Development Plan is a critical change,” said A/Prof Lee. “This sees fellows engaging in reflective practice at the start and end of each CPD cycle. It is designed to ensure CPD is undertaken to further specific learning aims for fellows. We expect this will enhance the outcomes fellows get from their learning journey and will allow them to scaffold their learning over many years.”

RANZCO said it will also strengthen its CPD offering with college-developed resources.

For more information, see https://ranzcoportal.ranzco.edu/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUC2CMGenGA