CPD FAQs

CPD is a registration requirement for the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

Completion of CPD in an approved CPD Home is also a membership requirement for all ACEM members.

Trainee's don’t have access to CPD as their CPD is sufficiently met through your FACEM Training, unless the trainee is on an interuption to training. Please see the MBA for further information on how CPD is meet through FACEM Training. 

Trainee's are only required to record their own CPD if they are on an interuption to training. If this is applicable to you, please contact [email protected] who will guide you through the process. 

An annual completion certificate will be available in February the following year via your CPD platform under the section "Reports", unless you have been selected for a CPD compliance audit.  

If you have been selected for a compliance audit and have successfully passed your CPD compliance certificate will be available via your CPD platform under the section "Reports".

If you are a FACEM living and working outside Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and are not registered to practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand  
FACEM’s living and working outside Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand who are not registered to practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand can apply to undertake the Modified ACEM CPD program requirements. You can apply using the application form – Application for Participation in Modified ACEM CPD Program Requirements. 
Evidence of employment in a non-Australasian jurisdiction is required as part of the application process. FACEM’s will be required to reapply at the beginning of each CPD year that they continue to work in a non-Australasian jurisdiction and provide verification of their ongoing eligibility to participate in the Modified ACEM CPD Program.  
Members who apply to register to practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand at any time during the CPD year will need to complete the ACEM CPD program requirements for the relevant CPD year. 

FACEM Modified CPD Program Requirements 

• Minimum of 50 hours of CPD activities from any one or more category of:   
  • Educational Activities   
  • Reviewing Performance   
  • Measuring Outcomes   

(No minimum requirement required in any category) 

• High-level requirements – Three (3) Core procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting): 
  • One (1) Airway skill 
  • One (1) Breathing skill 
  • One (1) Circulation skill 

Each of the three Core skills will be recorded as 0.5hours in the Educational Activity category and contribute towards the 50-hour requirement. 

• Four (4) different Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in clinical or simulated setting). Each of the four (4) EEM skills will be recorded as 0.5 hours in the Educational Activity category and contribute towards the 50-hour requirement. 
• Professional Development Plan and Reflection (including the setting of goals at start of year and review and reflection at the end of year)    
• Program Level Requirement – Four (4) Health Outcome activities, including one (1) reflective component for Culturally Safe Practice. These activities will count towards the 50-hour requirement. 
  • One (1) Culturally Safe Practice activity 
  • One (1) Culturally Safe Practice reflection 
  • One (1) Professionalism activity 
  • One (1) Addressing Health Inequity activity 
  • One (1) Ethical Practice activity 

If you are a Non-FACEM member working outside Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and are not registered practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand  
Non-FACEM Member’s living and working outside Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand who are not registered to practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand can apply to undertake the Modified ACEM CPD program requirements. You can apply using the application form – Application for Participation in Modified ACEM CPD Program Requirements. 
Evidence of employment in a non-Australasian jurisdiction is required as part of the application process. Non-FACEM Member’s will be required to reapply at the beginning of each CPD year that they continue to work in a non-Australasian jurisdiction and provide verification of their ongoing eligibility to participate in the Modified ACEM CPD Program.  
Members who apply to register to practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand at any time during the CPD year will need to complete the ACEM CPD program requirements for the relevant CPD year. 
 
Non-FACEM Member Modified CPD Program Requirements 

• Minimum of 50 hours of CPD activities from any one or more category of:   
  • Educational Activities   
  • Reviewing Performance   
  • Measuring Outcomes  

(No minimum requirement required in any category) 

• Four (4) different  Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting). Each of the four (4)  EEM skills will be recorded as 0.5hours in the Educational Activity category and contribute towards the 50-hour requirement. 
• Professional Development Plan and Reflection (including the setting of goals at start of year and review and reflection at the end of year)  
• Program Level Requirement – Four (4) Health Outcome activities, including one (1) reflective component for Culturally Safe Practice. These activities will count towards the 50-hour requirement. 
  • One (1) Culturally Safe Practice activity 
  • One (1) Culturally Safe Practice reflection 
  • One (1) Professionalism activity 
  • One (1) Addressing Health Inequity activity 
  • One (1) Ethical Practice activity 

The Medical Board Australia (MBA) and Medical Council New Zealand (MCNZ) require registered practitioners who are working in any capacity, to maintain CPD compliance by completing the CPD program as outlined by the CPD Home or Recertification programme to which they are enrolled.
 
Full time and part-time practitioners are required to complete the annual CPD program requirements.

As a FACEM CPD participant, your annual CPD requirements are: 

50 annual hours of CPD activities including: 

• 25 hours of Reviewing Performance and Measuring Outcomes activities with: 
  • minimum five (5) hours of Reviewing Performance activities; 
  • minimum five (5) hours of Measuring Outcomes activities; and 
  • remaining 15 hours comprising Reviewing Performance and/or Measuring Outcomes activities. 
• 12.5 hours of Educational Activities 
• 12.5 hours of activities from any one or more category of Reviewing Performance, Measuring Outcomes and/or Educational Activities. 

High-Level Requirements – Three (3) Core procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting): 

• One (1) Airway skill 
• One (1) Breathing skill 
• One (1) Circulation skill  

​Four (4) different Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting). 

Program Level Requirement – Four (4) Health Outcome activities: 

• One (1) Culturally Safe Practice activity and one (1) reflection 
• One (1) Professionalism activity 
• One (1) Addressing Health Inequity activity 
• One (1) Ethical Practice activity 

Professional Development Plan and Reflection 

Annual Conversation (NZ registered participants only) 

High-Level Requirements (HLRs) are a specialist registration requirement only. For ACEM, HLRs apply only to FACEM members.
 
The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) has invited accredited specialist medical colleges to set high-level requirements for CPD programs for vocational trainees, specialist international medical graduates and specialists practising in the relevant scopes of practice in each specialty. The purpose of HLRs is to ensure consistency among CPD Homes with respect to CPD programs for medical practitioners with certain scopes of practice.
 
A High-Level Requirement (HLR) is an activity that must be completed because they are essential to maintain or update knowledge and skills to practise safely in a specialty.
 
In 2022, the MBA approved the following HLRs for Emergency Medicine specialists for implementation from 2023:
 
Core Procedural Skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in clinical or simulated setting). to be recorded in Educational Activity category for a maximum of 1.5 hours (30 minutes for each of the three (3) HLR requirements).

• One (1) Airway
• One (1) Breathing 
• One (1) Circulation

As a non-FACEM CPD participant, your annual CPD requirements are:

50 annual hours of CPD activities including:

• 25 hours of Reviewing Performance and Measuring Outcomes activities with: 
  • minimum five (5) hours of Reviewing Performance activities; 
  • minimum five (5) hours of Measuring Outcomes activities; and 
  • remaining 15 hours comprising Reviewing Performance and/or Measuring Outcomes activities. 
• 12.5 hours of Educational Activities 
• 12.5 hours of activities from any one or more category of Reviewing Performance, Measuring Outcomes and/or Educational Activities. 

​
Four (4) different Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting).

Program Level Requirement – Four (4) Health Outcome activities: 

• One (1) Culturally Safe Practice activity and one (1) reflection 
• One (1) Professionalism activity 
• One (1) Addressing Health Inequity activity 
• One (1) Ethical Practice activity 

​
Professional Development Plan and Reflection 

​
Annual Conversation (NZ registered participants only) 

 

As an International Affiliate member, you will be automatically enrolled in the Modified ACEM CPD program. 

Your Modified CPD Program requirements are: 

50 annual hours of CPD activities in any of the three (3) CPD categories: 

• Educational Activities – Self-directed learning, group learning, teaching and educational development; 
• Reviewing Performance – Performance reviews, meetings, supervision; 
• Measuring Outcomes – M&M meetings, root cause analysis, publishing research. 

Four (4) different Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting).

Program Level Requirement – ​Four (4) Health Outcome activities: 

• One (1) Culturally Safe Practice activity and one (1) reflection 
• One (1) Professionalism activity 
• One (1) Addressing Health Inequity activity 
• One (1) Ethical Practice activity 

Professional Development Plan and Reflection 

As a non-Member CPD participant, your annual CPD requirements are: 

50 annual hours of CPD activities including: 

• 25 hours of Reviewing Performance and Measuring Outcomes activities with: 
  • minimum five (5) hours of Reviewing Performance activities; 
  • minimum five (5) hours of Measuring Outcomes activities; and 
  • remaining 15 hours comprising Reviewing Performance and/or Measuring Outcomes activities. 
• 12.5 hours of Educational Activities 
• 12.5 hours of activities from any one or more category of Reviewing Performance, Measuring Outcomes and/or Educational Activities. 

Program Level Requirement – Four (4) Health Outcome activities: 

• One (1) Culturally Safe Practice activity and one (1) reflection 
• One (1) Professionalism activity 
• One (1) Addressing Health Inequity activity 
• One (1) Ethical Practice activity 

Professional Development Plan and Reflection 

Annual Conversation (NZ registered participants only) 

If a personal circumstance affects your capacity to undertake the CPD program you may apply for a full or partial exemption from annual CPD Program requirements.
 
Grounds for exemption:

• Not practicing for the duration of the exemption period (6-month or 12-month exemption from the CPD program)
• No longer in clinical practice (procedural skills exemption)
• Hold current Fellowship with another Specialist College (Dual & ‘other’ Fellowship exemption)

Before applying for an exemption you are advised to read the following policy document:

• CPD499 Policy on exemption from the ACEM CPD Program
• CPD307 Policy on Re-entry to Practice Following a Period of Absence.

The requirements of this policy align with the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) ‘Recency of Practice Standard’ and the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) ‘Policy on doctors returning to medical practice after an absence from practice for three years or more.’
 
Please note, you may still be required to complete reduced CPD requirements for the CPD year once an exemption is applied.
 
Contact the CPD Unit for more details.

For exemption requests due to leave, suitable documentation is (a) a copy of your leave approval showing the dates of your leave, or (b) a copy of your EDD / medical certificate or similar document, or (c) a letter from HR/employer confirming dates of leave. Please discuss other documentation with CPD Unit staff if you cannot provide the suggested verification.

For procedural skills exemption requests, suitable documentation is (a) a copy of your job description showing that the role is 100% non-clinical with verification that it is your current job description, OR (b) the portion of your contract with your name on it that includes specification that the role is 100% non-clinical OR (c) a letter from HR/employer confirming your role is 100% non-clinical.

Note:

1. Procedural Skills exemptions are approved for a full CPD Year only (1 January – 31 December) – no partial-year exemption is available.
2. Procedural Skills exemptions must be applied for each CPD Year in which a Procedural Skills exemption is required.

If you are applying for a Dual and ‘Other Fellowship exemption to be applied to your ACEM CPD records, you will need to provide documentation that you have completed your annual CPD requirements with your alternate College. This may be a copy of the CPD records and Professional Development Plan that you have recorded or an annual CPD certificate.

You will need to read the Policy on CPD Program Exemption to determine if you are eligible for an exemption from the ACEM CPD program and if so for how long.

There are two (2) exemption periods:

• Six-months (educes annual CPD hours to 25 hours, all other annual CPD requirements remain)
• 12-months (whole CPD year – no annual requirements)

*If you take an extended period of leave (nine to 12 months) across two (2) CPD years whereby the leave length meets the eligible criteria for each year, a six-month exemption could be applied to each of the CPD years individually.

If you are a Fellow of a Specialist College listed below, you are able to apply for a Dual or ‘Other’ Fellowship exemption.

• RACP (Paeds)
• CICM
• RACMA
• RACGP
• ACRRM
• ANZCA

As a Dual or ‘Other’ Fellow you may choose to complete the annual 50 hours and your Professional Development Plan through your alternate College platform. You will still need to complete the following ACEM requirements: 

If you are a FACEM Member: 

High-Level Requirements – Three (3) Core procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting): 

• One (1) Airway skill 
• One (1) Breathing skill 
• One (1) Circulation skill  

​Four (4) different Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting).

Annual Conversation (NZ registered participants only)

If you are a non-FACEM member:

​Four (4) different Essential Emergency Medicine (EEM) procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision (in a clinical or simulated setting). 

Annual Conversation (NZ registered participants only) 

You can apply for an exemption using the online Application for CPD Exemption and Financial concession or exemption form. You can also access it under the "ACEM CPD Resources" page on the ACEM CPD Platform.

Once completed and submitted your exemption application form will go directly to the CPD Unit for processing. You will be asked to provide official documentation to support your exemption application, without this your application cannot be processed.

A CPD exemption should be applied prior to the commencement of leave so that you know what, if any, CPD requirements you need to complete to meet your annual CPD requirements.

The purpose of the CPD Professional Development Plan (PDP) is to ensure your CPD is relevant to your scope of practice, beneficial to your practice and tailored to meet your personal career goals. The CPD Plan will help you to develop and accomplish your life-long learning goals using learning, reflective and educational activities.
 
The PDP is designed to:

• Focus your efforts on achievable goals
• plan your workload
• make the most of opportunities

A workplace performance appraisal may result in the development of workplace professional development plan which can be uploaded on the Professional Development Page in lieu of completing an online Professional Development Plan.

Reflection on your learning experiences and an assessment of the success achieved, can reinforce the educational value of the activities selected.

Your reflection may also identify the need for further learning activities, or Personal CPD Plan changes.

The outcome of the reflection is intended to promote development of new attitudes, enhancement of skills and knowledge and ultimately to further your professional development.

To meet audit and regulatory body requirements, CPD participants are required to retain evidence of all CPD activities for a minimum of three (3) years.

The Provision of Evidence Guidelines have been developed to provide guidance on the nature and type of documentation to be retained and uploaded for the purpose of meeting CPD audit requirements.

Your CPD records and supporting documentation must be deidentified and must not contain any confidential information.

You are not required to upload evidence for College activities and activities that bear a current ACEM CPD Activity Approval logo. These activities will be recorded on your behalf by CPD Unit staff. The College retains evidence of your participation in these activities which will be used in the case of a CPD compliance audit.

Although it is assumed that all CPD participants will comply with the ACEM CPD program and accurately document required activities each year, it is essential that the process is transparent and open to external agencies. 

Immediately following the close of each CPD Year, a cohort of a minimum of five per cent (5%) of ACEM Fellows and a minimum of five per cent (5%) of non-Fellow participants, shall be selected for compliance audit in respect of that year. The cohorts shall include any ‘mandatory auditees’.

Mandatory auditees are ACEM CPD participants who:

• Have not recorded the minimum requirements by the due date, for the year to which the audit relates;
• Have not submitted a compliance audit by a nominated due date in the immediately preceding CPD Year to which the current audit relates;
• Failed a compliance audit in the immediately preceding CPD Year to which the current audit relates.
• Were granted a deferral from the audit process in relation to the CPD Year immediately preceding the year to which the current audit relates.

All ACEM CPD participants selected for a compliance audit will be notified in writing that they have been selected; the reason for their selection for audit; the next steps and due dates; and how to successfully satisfy the CPD compliance audit requirements.