Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
This is a FAQ BLOG and you can refer to our Working as a General Practitioner in Australia blog here.
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Date Updated: 2026-06-11
We have many doctors asking us how to prepare themselves to enter the Australian Health System. A big part of preparing yourself is to understand your requirements as an Australian General Practitioner.
Whether it be before, during or after gaining AHPRA registration, it’s always good to have an idea on what you can be doing to be prepared.
For this reason, our team puts together weekly blogs on topics you might need more information on! This week’s blog, we’re talking about Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
What is CPD?
CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development.
AHPRA defines CPD as how health practitioners maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and develop the personal and professional qualities required throughout their professional lives.
Our definition is a little simpler—it is activities and courses identified by approved CPD providers to extend your medical knowledge.
When does AHPRA’s CPD standard apply?
These standards will apply once you hold AHPRA registration.
Keeping in mind, you are required to provide details of your proposed CPD home/s when you apply for medical registration in Australia for the first time.
When you apply for renewal of your registration, you will need to provide details of your CPD home/s, and prove that you have met this standard.
When should I start doing CPD activities?
If you are not currently registered with AHPRA, when you decide to start your CPD activities is completely up to you.
In our experience, doctors who have completed regular CPD activities prior to commencing their practice have a greater understanding of the expectations of an Australian General Practitioner. Additionally, this will support your application with AHPRA in the future.
Please note that the following don’t have to do CPD yet:
- Medical students
- Doctors with non-practising registration
- Doctors with short-term limited registration (less than four weeks)
- Doctors granted CPD exemptions by CPD homes (e.g due to illness, parental leave etc)
- Interns and PGY2 doctors who are participating in a structured program that leads to a certificate of completion
What do I need to do?
If you have been granted registration in Australia, you will have a minimum requirement for CPD each year.
All doctors in Australia are required to join an AMC-accredited CPD home (unless exempt), write a professional development plan before starting to do CPD each year, and do 50 hours CPD each calendar year.
50 hours CPD each year must include following:
- 25 hours – reviewing performance and measuring outcomes (doctors decide the best mix for these activities to suit their practice, with five hours minimum of each type)
- 12.5 hours – traditional learning or educational activities (reading, lectures, conferences, etc.)
- 12.5 hours – free choice of activities (doctors choose across the three types of CPD)
Even if you have not yet been granted registration in Australia, it is still a good idea to familiarise yourself with the CPD standards and get yourself into a habit of completing activities regularly!
What is a CPD Home?
A CPD Home is AMC-accredited, provides quality CPD programs that are personalised to the doctor’s learning needs, and makes sure that doctors meet their CPD requirements.
You must have CPD Home and meet CPD standards if you are working independently or working outside supervised practice positions in hospitals and general practices. You can check the accredited CPD Homes here.
All doctors need a CPD home each year (unless exempt). Doctors:
- must join an AMC-accredited CPD home before they start doing their CPD each calendar year
- choose a home that is suitable for your scope of practice, which can be a college or non-college home
- must log CPD activities with their CPD home
- will need to declare which is their CPD home each year when they renew their registration
What is PDP?
Professional Development Plans assist doctors in ensuring that their CPD activities are relevant and tailored to their learning needs. PDP Templates are available and are provided by CPD Homes.
Please note that time spent in creating and reviewing PDPs are included in the total 50 CPD hours, but it should be simple and not too long to accomplish. Time spent for creation of PDP may also be indicated by the CPD Home.
To find out more about CPD, you may also search online or send us an email at help@peoplemedical.com.au, so we can give you further guidance. Our team can also help you put together a CPD plan if you would like help choosing what CPD activities to do!
We Can Help You
Here at People Medical Consulting, we have a passion for guiding medical practitioners through their career pathways to Australia. We have extensive experience in assisting medical facilities in recruiting doctors from local and overseas who will best suit their requirements.
We provide Document Assistance for those requiring support for their PESCI with IME, ACRRM or RACGP, registration and all other mandatory AHPRA requirements, fellowship program related forms and letters, application for Medicare provider and prescriber numbers, application for 19AB or 19AA exemptions and preparation of employment documents.
If you want to talk to someone about your pathway or practice management—book a consultation with us below, or if you need Recruitment or Document Assistance, contact us at help@peoplemedical.com.au or click the buttons below. We’d be glad to help you!
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