Summarized by Raghav Wusirika, M.D.
Associate Editor, CE News
The following insights are drawn from the recent Virtual Research Roundtable (VRR) which expanded on an earlier JCEHP article.
Assessment in CPD as a Person-Focused Activity
Presented By: Helen Toews, MSc RD, PhD student, and Walter Tavares, PhD
Building on the following JCEHP article:
Toews, Helen MSc, BASc; Pearce, Jacob PhD; Tavares, Walter PhD. Recasting Assessment in Continuing Professional Development as a Person-Focused Activity. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions 43(4S):p S35-S40, Fall 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/CEH.0000000000000538
The main thrust of the article and presentation is the need for subjectification in CPD assessments, where the value of CPD activities should be fundamentally determined by an individual’s personal needs. This lies in opposition to the significant external factors that drive CPD activities, including certification and licensure.
This paradigm shift would require significantly more of the learner than is currently done, which is acknowledged in the presentation. Learners would need to come with an open mind, trying to identify their needs on an essentially daily basis, and work towards acquiring new skills. It also requires a strong collaborative arrangement with the learner and an education team to support the education and evaluation of change around these self-identified gaps.
Fundamentally, this would require a shift from mass educational strategies to individual plans for CPD. It would also require individuals to engage in frank self-assessment and take the time for reflection on changes. These changes require a supportive infrastructure to be successful, but could change the focus of CPD from external validation to internal motivation.
| Current CPD Structure | Proposed New Structure | |
| Focus | External validation (certification, licensure) | Internal motivation and personal relevance |
| Assessment Approach | Quantitative: based on hours or credits completed | Qualitative: based on personal growth and behavioral change |
| Learning Plan | Standardized, mass education | Individual plans based on self-identified needs |
| Learner Role | Passive recipient of content | Active participant in identifying and addressing learning needs |
| Frequency of Reflection | Periodic, often only to meet deadlines | Ongoing, ideally daily reflection and self-assessment |
| Educational Activities | Attending required CME activities, regardless of relevance | Selecting activites that align with personal practice gaps and goals |
| Evaluation of Impact | Completion-based (e.g., credit hours earned) | Change-based (e.g., observed or self-reported behavioral improvement) |
| Support Structure | Minimal or administrative | Collaborative: requires involvement of an education team |
| Regulator Role | Sets required CPD amounts | Provides boundaries but allows learner-driven decision-making |
| Ultimate Goal | Maintain certification or licensure | Improve professional practice and patient outcomes through meaningful learning |
On a personal level, as a clinician, this webinar did make me reflect on the many hours I have spent in academic talks collecting CME credit but not changing any of my behaviors. I would have been much better served if I focused on finding activities that would result in a positive change rather than just checking a box to meet an external criterion.
