ACEM - 2021 CPD Year

New Medical Board Australia (MBA) and Medical Council New Zealand (MCNZ) Regulatory standards
- Requires 50 CPD hours to be divided between three categories:
  - Educational Activities
  - Reviewing Performance
  - Measuring Outcomes
- CPD relevant to a practitioner’s scope of practice.
- CPD based on annually revised Professional Development Plan.
- Practitioners registered in New Zealand to undertake an “annual conversation” (peer, Colleague or employer).
Find more information.
The CPD Calendar

The new CPD program will move from the current July – June CPD year to a January – December CPD year. To achieve this alignment with the calendar year, there will effectively be an additional 6-months, from July to December 2020 to undertake and record CPD activities that will count towards the annual 2021 CPD year and 2023 CPD Cycle.

CPD participants will need to have completed their annual 2021 CPD requirements by 31 December 2021 and have recorded these activities in their MyACEM online portal by 31 January 2022.

Ongoing, CPD activities will need to take place between 1 January and 31 December each year, with CPD recording finalised by 31 January the following year. Selection for compliance audit will take place in February each year.

2021-3 Cycle CPD Program Requirements

CPD Categories

You can view more information about the three categories of CPD prescribed by the MBA and MCNZ below. Download the CPD 2021 Activity Guide, and the Measuring Outcome and Reviewing Performance Activities Guide.

Educational Activities – incorporates Group Learning, Research & Educational Development and Self-directed Learnings in the new program

Activities in this category are usually either initiated, planned and/or undertaken by the learner on an individual basis or in a group context. The nature of the activities may be passive, as in journal reading or active/interactive, as in teaching or undertaking an online learning module. Activities in this category include but are not limited to, professional reading; teaching; listening to podcasts; attending lectures, meetings, workshops and conferences; preparing formal educational material and undertaking formal learning projects.

Workshops	Clinical supervision – facilitator Cultural competence Medical expertise Communication skills
Conferences	Conference Scientific meeting
Online learning	ACEM online discussion forums Blogs, forums, discussion threads Webinars, Journal Clubs eLearning module
Lectures	Lectures Presentations
Reading	ACEM materials (e.g. guidelines) Journal(s)/Article(s) Medical textbooks
Supervision	Work based Assessments (WBA’s) – DOPS WBA – In-training Assessments (ITA) SIMG Structured References Trainee Learning Needs Invigilator or observer Practice exam
Research	Clinical trial Grant application Proposal Adjudicating Conducting Literature review
Lectures; conferences; courses	Presentations
Peer discussion	Academic meeting(s)
Courses	Course (s) – Facilitator
Conferences	Conference (s) Scientific meeting
Peer review of educational activities	Curriculum eLearning activities Examination questions Guidelines Textbook
Teaching	Session plans
Review of guidelines	ACEM materials
Review of clinical guidelines	Clinical
Journal club	Journal club
Grand rounds	Grand rounds

Reviewing Performance – incorporates Quality Enhancement activities that support improvements in clinician performance

Activities in this category include formal and informal practice review of individuals or groups based on feedback, within an individual’s practice settings. Performance review aims to update a participant’s knowledge and improve practice through activities that allow a practitioner to review their performance. Activities may include; the preparation and review of your PDP; Multi Source Feedback (MSF) tools to provide triangulated, self-evaluation and peer-assisted reflection; peer review of performance in practice may include highly scope-specific activities.

Peer review of performance	Balint Group Direct Observation – reviewer/reviewee Workplace-based Assessment (WBA-ITA) - Assessee Workplace-based Assessment (WBA-DOPS) - Assessee Structured Conversation Workplace-based Assessment (WBA-Shift Report) - Assessee Workplace-based Assessment (WBA - Mini-Cex) - Assessee Patient Feedback Regular Practice Reviews (RPR) - Reviewee Case-based discussions (CbD)- assessee
Peer review of medical records	Case-based discussions (CbD) – Assessee Joint review of cases Peer review of cases – Retrospective or active Presenting case for peer review
Supervision	(Assessor) providing feedback to assessee
Peer review of Educational Activities	Educational activities
Performance review	Regular practice reviews (RPR) - Reviewer
Review of Standards adherence	Observer - Focused ED inspection Observer - routine or new ED Observer - special skills term (non ED) Site inspector - Focused ED inspection Site inspector - routine or new ED Site inspector - special skills terms (not ED)
Review of Standards adherence/measure	Review of standards adherence
Review of non-clinical guideline	Non-clinical guideline development and implementation
Peer discussions of cases, critical incidents, safety and quality reviews	Complaint review (NEW) Medical college committee meeting Professional organisation committee meeting Team debrief session AMC accreditation/assessment (NEW) Senior ED Staff meeting
Reflection on professional outcomes	CPD Plan preparations CPD Plan review and reflection Professional Development Plan – Goal setting Strategic planning Survey
Audit of medicolegal reports	Doctors’ medico-legal reports - AMP
Peer review of journal articles (if article discussed is one a participant has authored)	Journal Club
Multisource feedback: performance appraisal	Multi-source feedback

Measuring Outcomes – incorporates Quality Enhancement activities that compare outcomes

Procedural Skills

Procedural skills (PS) remain a high-level requirement central to the practice of emergency medicine (EM). The comprehensive Core and Scope of Practice skills list has been maintained with the inclusion of Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Medicine critical CPD procedural skills. Download the Procedural Skills, or view them below:

Core Skills
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
Scope of Practice Skills

Clinical skills relevant to emergency medicine practice including analgesia, ENT, eyes, fluids, minor surgical, O&G, orthopaedics, toxicology, trauma, ultrasound and urology.

You will find the core procedural skills (airway, breathing and cirulation) are duplicated in the scope of practice list (alphabetiacal order). These core procedural skills may be recorded as scope of practice skills after you have met your annual core procedural skills requirements.

List of Procedural Skills

Activity Type	Activity (Procedural Skill)
Airway	Emergency replacement of blocked or dislodged tracheostomy tube
Airway	Flexible - Fibre-optic
Airway	Insertion - Cricothyroid needle
Airway	Insertion - Laryngeal mask airway
Airway	Insertion - Seldinger / needle or surgical cricothyroidotomy
Airway	Intubation - direct laryngoscopy
Airway	Intubation - video laryngoscopy
Airway	Percutaneous tracheostomy
Airway	Use of an additional difficult airway device
Breathing	Bag valve mask ventilation
Breathing	Drainage of pleural effusion
Breathing	Jet insufflation
Breathing	Microcatheter insertion
Breathing	Needle decompression of pneumothorax
Breathing	Needle thoracocentesis
Breathing	Set up of ventilator & commencement of positive pressure ventilation
Breathing	Thoracostomy - Decompressive
Breathing	Thoracostomy - Tube
Breathing	Use of non-invasive ventilation device – Adult
Breathing	Use of non-invasive ventilation device - Child
Circulation	Cardiac procedures - External cardiac pacing
Circulation	Cardiac procedures – Pericardiocentesis
Circulation	Defibrillation / DC Cardioversion
Circulation	External Chest Compressions - Adult, child or infant
Circulation	Insertion of temporary pacing wire
Circulation	Newly born resuscitation
Circulation	Resuscitative thoracotomy
Circulation	Vascular access - Arterial Line insertion
Circulation	Vascular access - Central venous
Circulation	Vascular access - Central venous - Ultrasound guided
Circulation	Vascular access – Intraosseous
Circulation	Vascular access - Large bore intravenous : ≥ 14G / Insertion of a rapid infusion catheter
Circulation	Vascular access - Paediatric venous access : age <2 year old
Circulation	Vascular access - Paediatric venous access : aged between 2 and 15 years old
Circulation	Vascular access - Peripheral Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)
Circulation	Vascular access - Umbilical vein
Circulation	Vascular access - Venous cutdown
Scope of Practice	Airway - Basic Life Support – Adult
Scope of Practice	Airway - Basic Life Support – Child
Scope of Practice	Airway - Extubation
Scope of Practice	Airway - Insert nasopharyngeal airway
Scope of Practice	Airway - Insert oropharyngeal airway
Scope of Practice	Airway - Securing and caring for ETT including during transport
Scope of Practice	Airway – Upper airway topicalisation
Scope of Practice	Circulation - Advanced Life Support - ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
Scope of Practice	Circulation - Advanced Life Support - Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA)
Scope of Practice	Circulation - Basic Life Support - Initiation of Automated External Cardiac Pressure (AECP)
Scope of Practice	Circulation – Escharotomy
Scope of Practice	Circulation – Ice water cardioversion
Scope of Practice	Circulation – PPH management including use of uterine balloon tamponade
Scope of Practice	Chemical-Biological-Radiological (CBR) Response - full suit
Scope of Practice	Dental - Enlocation avulsed / extruded / intruded / laterally injured tooth
Scope of Practice	Dental - Joint reduction - Temporo-mandibular joint
Scope of Practice	ENT - Anterior nasal packing
Scope of Practice	ENT - Aural wick insertion
Scope of Practice	ENT - Nasopharyngeal aspirate collection
Scope of Practice	ENT - Posterior nasal packing
Scope of Practice	ENT - Removal of aural foreign bodies
Scope of Practice	ENT - Removal of laryngeal foreign bodies
Scope of Practice	ENT - Removal of nasal foreign bodies
Scope of Practice	Environmental - Advanced cooling techniques
Scope of Practice	Environmental - Advanced warming techniques
Scope of Practice	Eyes - Lateral canthotomy and cantholysis
Scope of Practice	Eyes - Removal of corneal foreign bodies
Scope of Practice	Eyes – Tonometry
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Abdominal paracentesis / insertion of drain
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Emergency replacement of a dislodged gastrostomy tube
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Insertion of a nasogastric tube or orogastric tube
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Insertion of a suprapubic catheter
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Insertion of an infant urinary catheter (female and male)
Scope of Practice	Fluids – Rapid infusion (pump giving sets, pressure bags, blood warmer)
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Replacement of a suprapubic catheter
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Suprapubic aspiration
Scope of Practice	Fluids - Use of oesophageal balloon tamponade in massive GI bleed
Scope of Practice	Microbiology - Lumbar puncture NS – S32
Scope of Practice	Minor Surgical - Advanced suturing techniques
Scope of Practice	Minor Surgical - Drainage of peritonsillar abscess
Scope of Practice	Minor Surgical - Incision and drainage of abscesses
Scope of Practice	Minor Surgical - Nail bed repair
Scope of Practice	Minor Surgical - Removal of superficial & subcutaneous foreign bodies
Scope of Practice	Minor Surgical - Wound exploration, cleaning, irrigation, and debridement
Scope of Practice	O & G - Post Partum Haemorrhage management (including use of uterine balloon tamponade)
Scope of Practice	O & G - Removal of products of conception from cervical os
Scope of Practice	O & G – Resuscitative hysterotomy
Scope of Practice	O & G - Spontaneous vaginal delivery and delivery of placenta
Scope of Practice	O & G - Vaginal foreign body removal
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Application of a pelvic binding device
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Application of traction splinting devices
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Arthrocentesis (ankle)
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Arthrocentesis (elbow)
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Arthrocentesis (knee)
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Arthrocentesis (other joints)
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Arthrocentesis (shoulder)
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Emergent fracture / Dislocation reduction
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Fracture / Joint immobilisation - Slab / Plaster application
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Fracture reduction - Ankle
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Fracture reduction - Lower limb other
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Fracture reduction - Upper limb other
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Fracture reduction – Wrist
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Insertion of a fascial intra-compartmental monitor
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Joint reduction - Digits
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Joint reduction – Elbow
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Joint reduction – Hip
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Joint reduction - Knee/Patella
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Joint reduction – Other
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Joint reduction – Shoulder
Scope of Practice	Orthopaedics - Maintain in line stabilisation during airway intervention
Scope of Practice	Regional Anaesthesia - Brachial plexus block
Scope of Practice	Regional Anaesthesia - Femoral or fascia iliaca block
Scope of Practice	Regional Anaesthesia - Intravenous regional anaesthesia
Scope of Practice	Regional Anaesthesia - Regional nerve blocks
Scope of Practice	Regional Anaesthesia – Joint/Fracture injection, anaesthesia Shoulder/Wrist +/- US Guided
Scope of Practice	Sedation delivery - Administration of IM or IV sedation for chemical restraint
Scope of Practice	Sedation delivery - Administration of inhaled procedural sedation
Scope of Practice	Sedation delivery - Administration of IV sedation for procedures
Scope of Practice	Trauma – Application of arterial tourniquet use
Scope of Practice	Trauma – Cranial Decompression
Scope of Practice	Trauma – Junctional haemorrhage control techniques
Scope of Practice	Trauma – Maxillofacial haemorrhage control
Scope of Practice	Trauma - Retrieval limb amputation
Scope of Practice	Toxicology - Gastric decontamination
Scope of Practice	Toxicology - Whole Bowel Irrigation
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Application of haemodynamic assessment protocols
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Assessment in undifferentiated shock / Rapid Ultrasound for Shock & Hypotension (RUSH)
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Bedside echocardiography including arrest
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Detection & characterisation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - (Extended) Focussed Assessment with Sonography for Trauma ((E)FAST)
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Guided Peripheral Vascular Access NS - C16
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Hepatobiliary ultrasound
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Lung
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Ocular
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Pregnancy - 1st trimester
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Pregnancy - 2nd and 3rd trimester
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Renal tract ultrasound
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Soft tissue ultrasound
Scope of Practice	Ultrasound - Ultrasound guided nerve blocks
Scope of Practice	Urology – Insertion of 3-way adult urinary catheter (male and female) and undertaking a manual bladder washout
Scope of Practice	Urology - Procedural management of priapism
Scope of Practice	Urology - Reduction of paraphimosis

Structured Conversation (Additional NZ CPD requirement)

Structured conversation – this is an annual conversation with a peer, colleague or employer about the practitioner’s clinical practice. The goal of this activity is to facilitate reflection on developmental and personal needs, professional goals and their intended CPD activities for the coming year.

The structured conversation can be recorded as an annual CPD activity under the Reviewing Performance category, for a maximum of two hours.

You may complete your structured conversation on the CPD797 Structured Conversation form and upload as evidence.

Professional Development Plan

The 2020 CPD cycle’s Goal and Reflection requirement will be replaced by a more formal annual Professional Development Plan (PDP) for the 2023 cycle. The PDP may be supported by CPD activities intended to be undertaken in the year ahead. Reflection on the PDP at the end of the year will serve to both evaluate the success of the current year’s professional development to inform PDP goals for the following year, thus generating a cycle of learning and reflection.

The PDP development process can be recorded as an annual CPD activity under the Reviewing Performance category, for a maximum of two hours.

Workplace Professional Development Plans

A workplace performance appraisal may result in the development of a workplace professional development plan. You may upload a copy of your workplace PDP instead of completing the online PDP plan in your MyACEM portal. Provision has been made in the online PDP page, to securely hold your workplace PDP form and allow you to reflect on this plan in order to meet your annual PDP requirements.

Mandatory Cultural Competency

Completion of one approved cultural competency activity was mandated by the College Board from the 2020 CPD cycle and remains a requirement in the new program for Australian participants. Aotearoa New Zealand registered practitioners are asked to maintain a focus on cultural competence, cultural safety and health equity in all of their recertification (CPD) requirements.

The introduction of this requirement reflects the commitment of ACEM to the integration of cultural competency through avenues such as the ACEM Reconciliation Action Plan, the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Discrimination Action Plan and the Discrimination, Bullying and Sexual Harassment (DBSH) Action Plan.

Approved Cultural Competence Activities

Read the list of Approved Cultural Competence Activities.

Please Note: If you have an activity you would like to have approved, please go to 'Recommend an activity for approval' on this page. Each activity must be minimum two hours in total.
Recommend an Activity for Approval

Participants in the ACEM CPD Program can recommend a cultural competence activity to be considered for this requirement. Each activity must be a minimum two hours in total. Applications should be sent to [email protected] for consideration by the Indigenous Health Committee and the CPD Committee. Successful applications will result in the activity being added to the My CPD activity library and automatically offsetting this mandatory requirement in your CPD record.
How to Record Your Cultural Competence Activity

After successful completion of the ACEM cultural competence modules in the Educational Resources site, records of these modules will automatically be created in your CPD record and offset your cultural competence cycle CPD requirement (please note this can take up to 24 hours).

All other cultural competence activities will need to be selected from the list of cultural competence activities approved by the Indigenous Health Committee, as only an approved activity will offset the cultural competence cycle CPD requirement.

As such, approved cultural competence activities can be selected from your My CPD activity library. Once selected from the activity library drop down and saved, this activity will automatically offset the mandatory CPD requirement.

If you require any additional information, please contact the CPD Unit [email protected].

ACEM CPD Program Exemptions

Information for Dual and Other Australasian Fellowship CPD participants

The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) have revised the requirements for CPD of medical practitioners, with increased focus on reviewing performance and measuring outcomes. The ACEM 2021 CPD program, launched in July 2020, aligns with the new structure required by both the MBA and the MCNZ.

Australasia’s Medical Colleges have varying timelines for the transition to the recently revised MBA and MCNZ CPD standards. This discrepancy means that Fellows compliant in a College CPD program that has not yet transitioned to the revised MBA CPD standards may not be compliant in ACEM’s CPD program.

Therefore, for the 2021 CPD year and the 2021-23 CPD cycle, the College has discontinued the automatic exemption arrangement. Important process changes for recognition of non-ACEM CPD activity for ACEM members who participate in multiple CPD programs for the 2021 CPD year or 2021-23 CPD cycle are outlined in document below:

CPD792 ACEM Recognition of CPD Activities Conducted by Participants in External CPD Programs
CPD Exemptions
Personal circumstances affecting your capacity to undertake the CPD program may warrant a full or partial (exemption from a CPD Program).

Please note that you may still be required to fulfill reduced CPD requirements for the CPD year. Contact the CPD Unit for more details.

Grounds for exemption
- Not practicing for the duration of the exemption period (six or 12 months)
- No longer in clinical practice
*Possible reasons for temporary exemptions include:
- Full-time study
- Extended leave eg., long service leave and travel
- Parental leave
- Prolonged carers leave
- Prolonged illness
- Compassionate leave
- Special consideration
Before (applying for an exemption) you are advised to read the Exemption Policy and the (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 Board of New Zealand (MCNZ) ‘Policy on doctors returning to medical practice after an absence from practice for three years or more’.

Documenting Your Activities

In accordance with the requirements of the regulatory authorities, the College audits a percentage of records annually. It is expected that CPD participants will have retained evidence of activities entered into their MyACEM online record for at least three years and will be able to comply with an audit.

The Provision of Evidence Guidelines will inform you of the types of evidence you can use to verify your CPD activities

CPD Program Policies and Resource Documents

ACEM CPD Program

How do I Apply?
Only non-members of the College need to apply. For information on how to apply, visit the membership page.

The ACEM CPD program intake dates each year are:
- 1 January – for those elected to Fellowship or admitted to membership between 1 July and 31 December
- 1 July – for those elected to Fellowship or admitted to membership between 1 January and 30 June.
Please note, depending on your intake date pro-rata requirements may apply.
Frequently Asked Questions

View FAQs
How do I Provide Feedback?

ACEM encourages feedback on ACEM CPD Programs. To offer suggestions, please contact the CPD Unit.

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ACEM CPD Program	ACEM CPD Program 2023 CPD Cycle
Annual requirements	Minimum of 50 hours of CPD activities with ≥ 12.5 hours in each of the 3 CPD categories: Educational Activities Reviewing Performance Measuring Outcome
	3 core procedural skills by performance, teaching or supervision: 1 Airway skill 1 Breathing skill 1 Circulation skill
	Professional Development Plan (plan & reflection)
	*For doctors registered in New Zealand:* 1 Annual Conversation (*peer, colleague or employer)*
Cycle requirements
	1 Approved Cultural Competence Activity (minimum 2 hours total)
	*3 core skills by performance:* 1 Airway skill 1 Breathing skill 1 Circulation skill
	12 different scope of practice procedural skills by perfromance, teaching or supervision
	All annual requirements

Clinical audit	Clinical quality Clinical Trial Pathology Ultrasound
Review of medical records	Documentation & Communication
Review of individual/team and comparative data from de-identifies large datasets e.g. Medicare, PBS	Benchmark performance against datasets
Peer Review of performance	Quality improvement Root Cause Analysis
Peer Discussions of cases, critical incidents, safety and quality reviews	Critical patient monitoring
Mortality and Morbidity reviews	Mortality and morbidity meeting-attending Inter-departmental meetings – case review and interpretation of findings
Audit	Patient Flow Workforce Other
Clinical Audit	Clinical trial Pathology Radiology Ultrasound X-Ray
Clinicopathological correlation meetings: mortality and morbidity reviews	Inter-departmental meetings – case review and interpretation of findings