Professional Competence Requirements

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The current PCS year runs from May 1st, 2024, until the April 30th 2025. After this date, we will extend a grace period of 2 weeks for any last-minute uploads. Any activity logged after this period will not be displayed on your Annual Statement of Participation. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact professionalcompetence@coa.ie

CPD Requirements for Scheme Year 2024/25

In the Professional Competence Year beginning on May 1st 2024 and ending on April 30th 2025, doctors will be required to undertake and record the following CPD activity with their Scheme:

1. 40 credits (in any category: external, internal, personal, research/teaching); and
2. One audit (clinical or practice (Quality Improvement).

This increase will bring the annual requirements to approximately 50 hours of CPD activity which will be in line with the new strengthened Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework Model commencing on 1 May 2025.

Please click here for a list of CPD activities in each category.

External credits are allocated for learning activities or events that take place ‘external’ to your usual work such as CPD courses organised by the College. These may include regional and national scientific meetings, conferences and workshops, international conferences run by equivalent bodies and online courses with a formal assessment process. Event organisers apply to the College’s Professional Competence Scheme for accreditation in advance of the event and the number of credits awarded are based on time and educational content.

Internal credits are allocated for activities and meetings that take place usually during your work such as departmental or hospital meetings, multidisciplinary meetings, grand rounds and case presentation/discussion. It is not necessary to seek CPD approval from the College for these events. However, under the requirements of the Professional Competence Schemes, doctors must provide evidence of having attended these activities. Your Department Chair should keep a record of the contents and focus of the meeting, time and date and a logbook of attendees to simplify collection of internal credits for each member. Any doctor can use this record, signed by the Chair of the Department of Anaesthesia or convenor of the event as evidence of having attendance. If you are selected by the College for the annual audit process a letter from the Head of the Anaesthetic Department, certifying completion of at least 20 hours of internal points activity was achieved during the relevant period of time, is required.

Credits can be claimed for time spent reading academic journals or relevant reading and study logged with a brief note of the topic and learning outcomes. It is not necessary to apply to the CAI for approval of Personal Learning Activities.

These credits are awarded for postgraduate teaching, postgraduate examining, research, analysis of learning needs and planning development can generate credits. It is not necessary to apply to CAI for approval of research or teaching activities. Supporting documentation, if requested, for this activity could comprise of; tutorial or lecture schedules, medical school curricula, publications, meeting programmes, workshop programmes.

Check out the CPD Calendar of Events.