External CPD relates to educational activities that take place outside your workplace where you can interact with and learn from others.

You can claim 1 CPD credit for each hour spent on activities such as the examples listed below:

• Academic/Scientific meetings
• Symposiums
• Exam preparation courses
• Workshops
• Seminars
• Courses/Lectures/Workshops leading to a Diploma/Masters
• Online courses or tests where the site provides details of the learning outcome, links to further reading and you can download evidence of participation

Evidence of your participation is required. See:  Evidence for External CPD and Example Template for External CPD 

Internal CPD activities take place alongside your colleagues and teams within your workplace on topics related to your practice that help improve the standards of your own practice and that of your team.

You can claim 1 CPD credit for each hour spent on activities such as the examples below:

Example meeting types

• Journal Clubs
• Grand Rounds
• Multi-disciplinary team meetings (MTD)
• Faculty meetings
• Editorial meetings
• Legal briefings
• Case studies
• Handover meetings
• Workgroups
• Review groups
• Committees

Example Courses:

• Training, assessment or re-assessment of practical and other skills carried out at work such as:
  • Accreditation or re-accreditation courses for Life Saving/Resuscitation
  • Anti-microbial stewardship
  • Safe prescribing
  • Hand hygiene
  • Manual handling

Example Online Educational Activities

• HSELand.ie/HSALearning.ie, e.g.;  online training provided by your employer
• Online courses with topics that relate to your practice in the workplace

Evidence of your participation is required. See:  Evidence for Internal CPD and  Example Template for Internal CPD

Useful information:

Forum of Postgraduate Medical Training Bodies - Verification of Internal CPD

You only need to record five hours of Personal Learning each year, but one of the most common mistakes we see is doctors forgetting to record it.

Here are some everyday examples of Personal Learning

• Journal or text book reading (online or printed), e.g. Irish Journal of Medical Science, BMJ, Cochrane Library, NEJM, The Lancet etc. as well as study towards an examination such as MRCPI or a Masters
• Preparation for committee meetings, workshops or workgroups
• Informal discussion relating to CPD with a friend or colleague
• Viewing recorded lectures

No evidence is required for this category

Research and teaching are essential in order to improve patient care.  Sharing your knowledge with others will help you to consolidate your own learning as well as providing a valuable education opportunity for your colleagues and peers

While you are not required to record these activities it is highly desirable to claim your credit in ePortfolio.

Examples of Research or Teaching activities include:

Teaching/Examining/Supervision
1 credit per hour for:

• Thesis supervision
• Preparation to chair an academic meeting
• Contribution to educational programmes or curricula
• Teaching or examining postgraduates
• Teaching or examining undergraduates (requires some written reflection on how this enhanced your own practice)

5 credits for:

• First-time preparation and delivery of a lecture,  presentation, case study
• First-time preparation and delivery of a poster 

Research and Publishing

1 credit per hour for:

• Participation in a research project which has ethical approval
• Contribution to a published article or paper
• Contribution to national guidelines
• Contribution to textbooks
• Preparation and delivery of an abstract
• Peer-review of articles/publications

 Evidence of your participation is required. See:  Evidence for Research or Teaching

You must record a total of 25 CPD credits every year. The 25 credits can include any or all of the External, Internal and Personal Learning categories.

CPD credit for External, Internal and Personal Learning activities is calculated as 1 learning hour = 1 CPD credit.   

You should claim credit for the number of hours you spent engaged in the activity. You may round the total CPD up or down – for example if the duration of the activity was 1.5 hours, you can claim 2 CPD credits.  If the duration of the activity was 1.25 hours, you can claim 1 CPD credit.