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CPD overview
The RANZCP operates a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program with the aim of maintaining a high standard of professional practice in psychiatry.
CPD participation is a requirement for medical registration and annual recertification of medical practitioners in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
RANZCP CPD Home:
- ensures participants comply with the current registration requirements set by medical regulators
- is flexible, with multiple ways to meet requirements
- emphasises self-directed education
- focuses on practice improvement.
Requirements
All medical practitioners must complete 50 hours of CPD each year.
| Section 1: Professional Development Plan | 2 hours | |
| Section 2: Formal Peer Review | Minimum 10 hours | 23 hours in total across these two sections |
| Section 3: Practice Improvement | Minimum 5 hours | |
| Section 4: Self-guided learning | 12.5 hours | |
| Section 5: Additional hours | 12.5 hours | |
| Total | 50 hours |
Completing 10 hours of Formal Peer Review is a program level requirement for all participants in the program including non-specialists. It is also a high-level requirement for all psychiatrists.
CAPE requirements
Participants need to undertake at least one CPD activity in each of the following areas each year.
- C - Culturally Safe Practice
- A - Addressing Health Inequities
- P - Professionalism
- E - Ethics
More about CAPE requirements, selected activities and how they are recorded to CPD
Keeping a record of your CPD activities
You can record your activities and manage your involvement in peer review groups by using the RANZCP's online platform, MyCPD.
Who is required to complete CPD?
The RANZCP CPD Program is for:
- Currently practicing Fellows and Affiliates of the RANZCP
- Australian trainees on a prolonged break in training
- SIMG candidates on the Substantial Comparability Placement
- Australian SIMG candidates on the Partial Comparability Placement on a prolonged break
- Individual non-Members who choose RANZCP as their CPD Home.
Not a member?
Medical practitioners who are not RANZCP members can also join the RANZCP CPD program (annual fee applies).
Contact
cpdhelp@ranzcp.org
1800 337 448 (toll free from Australia)
0800 443 827 (toll-free from Aotearoa New Zealand)
Qualified privilege - Peer Review Groups
Qualified privilege covering Australian Peer Review Groups has expired.
An application for the renewal of qualified privilege has been made to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Continued privilege is not guaranteed as each application is considered by the Department against criteria that include whether the qualified privilege will increase participation in the designated activity. As around 95% of psychiatrists participate in one or more Peer Review Groups this criterion is increasingly difficult to meet.
There has been a period from 19 May 2025 where Peer Review Groups in Australia are not covered by qualified privilege, while the DOHAC consider the application.
In practical terms this means members should:
• continue to treat your discussions in PRGs as confidential discussions that do not identify the patient
• not disclose the discussions outside of the PRGs.
The College will continue to keep the membership informed as we work with the department to support maintenance of qualified privilege. For any questions on impact on a peer review group please contact cpdhelp@ranzcp.org
