Keeping Up-to-Date

Continuing professional development should be an organised and continuing process but must be responsive to learning requirements based on patients' needs, self-evaluation and evaluation by others, e.g. partners, appraisal process. It is important to keep up-to-date in all aspects of being a doctor, partner and employer, and to include skills (clinical, consultation, interpersonal, leadership...) as well as knowledge in any development plan.

Trying to keep-up-to date often feels like a daunting challenge with a relentless tide of new information to absorb. A careful evaluation of needs and priorities and using a PDP (personal development plan) is therefore essential to keep-up-to date but also avoid information overload.

• Self-evaluation:
  • Reflection; take time to consider strengths, weaknesses and learning needs. Set aside dedicated time, e.g. 10-20 minutes at the end of each day, to consider issues arising that day - rather than letting them build up, become daunting, and possibly end up being forgotten.
  • Audit
  • MCQs (such as the RCGP eKit¹) and MEQs
  • Videos of consultations; not just for GP registrars; provides and excellent method of evaluating and improving consultation skills.
  • Critical event analysis within the practice
  • Referral analysis; consider those referrals that may not have been required with improved knowledge/skills.
• Evaluation by others:
  • Discussion with other members of the primary health care team
  • Sessional GPs should attempt to become involved in clinical meetings and follow-up patients, particularly in those practices they go to frequently, and also join local sessional GP groups.²
  • GP appraisals
• Patients' needs:
  • PUNs and DENs: patient unmet needs and doctor's educational needs - keep a log of those patient needs that could have been better managed with improved knowledge/skills.
  • Reviewing patient records

The best method to use for keeping-up-to-date will depend on the learning need as well as individual preference and available time. In general it is most effective to use practical and interactive methods but distance learning methods, such as those using case-scenarios on the BMJ Learning site, can be very useful.

• Discussions with and learning from partners and other members of the practice team. This will include informal chats over coffee as well as practice meetings.
• Journals; online journals have the advantage of searching archive rather than relying on a relevant article appearing at an appropriate time.
• Textbooks; an important learning tool but may not be as relevant or helpful as other more interactive and more practical methods.
• Local and national study days courses, conferences.
• Internet resources, e.g. journals, learning modules, information sites such as Doctors.net, Onmedica and EMIS Mentor on the Web, as well as designated websites of various colleges, e.g. Royal College of General Practitioners.
• Attending hospital clinics/short-term clinical assistant posts; may be time-consuming and not necessarily meet the required learning needs. However may be valuable time spent with a specialist if it involves a special interest.