Calculating Points


How to Plan Your Program

(Click on the links in the left column for further information)

Continuing Medical Education (CME)
Meetings0.5 point/hour
Max. 20 points/meeting
Workshops2 points/hour
max. 50 points/workshop
(see workshop criteria)
Learning Projects3 points/hour
max. 60 points/project

60 points/semester
(PhD., postgrad studies)
Self-Assessment2 points/hour
max 50 points for any single program
Practice-Related CME0.5 points/hour
max 250 points
Teaching & Research
Presentations3 points/presentation
Teaching1 point/hour
Publications5 points/publication
Quality Assurance
"Active" Quality Assurance Activities3 points/hour
"Passive" Quality Assurance Activities0.5 points/hour
Physician Assessment10 points/per assessment

Guide to Definitions & Categories of Activities in the MOPS program

1. CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

The Continuing Medical Education component of the MOPS program brings together five areas of activity which contribute to the maintenance of continuing competence in clinical practice.

You may accumulate points during a five-year cycle within the areas of Meetings, Workshops, Learning Projects, Self-Assessment and Practice Related Continuing Medical Education.

a) Meetings

While the College does not formally accredit meetings, we would like to ensure that the meetings you attend are designed to provide the best possible learning experience for their participants.  You should read The Royal Australasian College of Physicians Ethical Guidelines in the Relationship between Physicians & the Pharmaceutical Industry to ensure that attendance at meeting does not raise the possibility of any conflict of interest or unethical behaviour.  When assessing whether to attend meetings please be aware that meetings that promote the following would not be considered acceptable or appropriate for participants in the MOPS program:  Promotion of:

  • Product brand names, particular products or modes of treatment out of
    proportion with their contribution to good quality patient management;
  • Particular products or modes of treatment in areas of practice where accepted
    management standards are lacking and a balanced argument is not provided;
  • Experimental treatments and methods that have not been fully evaluated by
    intervention research;
  • Theories and techniques which are not supported by scientific evidence or
    generally accepted by the medical profession.

To assist you in determining whether the meeting has been planned on sound
educational principles you should assess whether the meeting you wish to attend
conforms to the following minimal educational requirements:

  • Information from the target audience has been used to determine course
    objectives either through participation on the planning committee or through
    surveys, focus groups or interviews;
  • The course objectives (which should be printed on the meeting/workshop
    brochure) describe what you will learn or achieve attending the activity;
  • Some of the learning objectives are derived from an objective assessment of
    the learning needs of potential participants e.g. obtained from a measurement
    of knowledge and/or performance (such as a Self-Assessment test or practice
    audit);
  • The design of the activity formally incorporates opportunities for interactive
    learning using planned discussion periods or small interactive sessions;
  • If appropriate the activity provides opportunities for you to receive feedback
    on your learning using a written test, touch pad or test of skills required.

Points: 0.5 credit points per hour to a maximum of 20 credit points for any single
meeting.
Documentation: Registration form plus program with activities attended highlighted.

b) Workshops

Irrespective of whether the activity provider calls an activity a workshop, participants
should not claim workshop points unless the activity can fulfil the following criteria:

  • The group is small. Although there is no ideal number, groups larger than 10
    make interactions more difficult;
  • The session is interactive i.e. questions, discussion and feedback provided on
    an individual basis;
  • The workshop has been targeted to your learning needs through either
    canvassing your needs prior to the event, at the beginning of the workshop or
    by a representative of the intended audience being on the workshop planning
    committee;
  • There is a clear statement provided of the objective of the session. It should be
    sufficiently explicit to allow you to identify the intended knowledge, skill and
    attitude outcomes of the workshop;
  • Any formal presentations from workshop leaders should not extend for any
    longer than 20 minutes and should not take up the majority of the workshop's time;
  • Workshop activities that focus on clinical issues should also consider the
    interpersonal and ethical issues related to the topics;
  • An evaluation of how the workshop should be undertaken. The evaluation
    should not solely be on the quality of the workshop but should encourage you
    to consider the relevance of the workshop for your own clinical practice and
    patient care.

Points: 2 credit points per hour to a maximum of 50 credit points per workshop.
Documentation: Program or statement of involvement indicating the number of
hours. Copy of workshop evaluation document.

c) Learning Projects

These projects allow you to pursue an area of interest in a structured and systematic
manner. The key features of these projects are that they are learner-initiated and
planned, have clearly specified educational objectives and are formally evaluated.
Formal courses of study are included in this category as well as refresher courses or
attachments to specialist units. Regional and rural Physicians and Paediatricians in
particular may wish to undertake CME attachments at metropolitan teaching hospitals
and can claim the activity under this category.

Other activities include home-based studies linked to self-assessment programs,
learning a new technique e.g. endoscopy, producing a formally structured clinical
education video and learner initiated and planned projects.

Points: 3 credit points per hour to a maximum of 60 credit points per project.
Documentation:  appropriate to the type of activity e.g. report, proof of participation,
objectives of the project.

d) Self-Assessment

Fellows have the option of participating in a growing range of Self-Assessment
modules available in both paper and electronic versions.
Examples of Self-Assessment programs include:

  • Australasian Self-Assessment Program (ASAP)
  • Paediatric Self-Assessment Program (PSAP)
  • New Zealand Self-Assessment programs
  • MKSAP

Points: 2 credit points per hour to a maximum of 50 points for any single program.
Documentation:  Evidence that the questions have been attempted

e) Practice Related CME Activities

There are many activities in which clinicians are involved during their day to day
practice which contribute to their maintenance of professional standards. Activities in
this category include:

  • journal reading;
  • preparation for teaching and presentations;
  • electronic literature searching on Medline;
  • participation in grand rounds, departmental or hospital meetings;
  • reviewing scientific articles or grant applications;
  • membership of a clinical ethics committee
    e.g. patient care or drug committee;
  • participation in a journal club.
Points: 0.5 credit points per hour to a maximum of 250 credit points.
Documentation: You may claim up to 100 credit points in this category without
evidence being required. For those Fellows wishing to claim a higher total up to a
maximum of 250 credit points within a five-year cycle, documentary evidence or
diary records should be kept.

2. TEACHING & RESEARCH

You can claim credit for your involvement in the academic activities of teaching,
making presentations and research.

a) Teaching

All teaching activities involving health professional education are eligible for credit
points. Teaching is usually considered to be part of an ongoing planned sequence of
teacher-student interactions. Included in this category are:

  • the teaching of undergraduate or postgraduate students in medicine, nursing or
    allied health disciplines;
  • public education activities involving patient or community groups (but does
    not include individual patient education as part of a Fellow's usual clinical
    practice);
  •  tutoring or teaching ward rounds;
  • involvement in medical student or RACP examinations;
  • member of a committee preparing for written or clinical exams or writing self-assessment
    modules.

Points: 1 credit point per hour.
Documentation: Teaching timetable, signed statement by an appropriate person.

b) Presentations

The presentation of papers or posters on issues of medical or educational significance
at conferences, seminars, workshops, grand rounds, QA meetings, scientific or
educational meetings are included within this category.
Points should be claimed within this category essentially for special one-off
presentations, in contrast to those areas of teaching presented on a regular basis.

Points:  3 credit points per presentation.
Documentation: Written invitation, program, abstract.

c) Publications

All publications of scientific or educational content may be claimed within this
category. This credit allocation will be allowed regardless of the number of authors,
and does not require that the publication be subject to peer review.

Examples include:

  • journal articles (excluding abstracts);
  • book chapters.

Points: 5 credit points per publication.
Documentation: Reprint of article/chapter.

3. QUALITY ASSURANCE

It is a requirement of MOPS program that you participate in QA relevant to your
clinical practice. The minimum requirement is 50 credit points per five year cycle.
This requirement is consistent with an evolving need to demonstrate QA and quality
improvement in hospital and community practice. It provides you with an opportunity
to scientifically study, review and audit selected aspects of their clinical performance,
with the overall objective of improvement. You may elect to evaluate aspects of your
personal practice or choose to study activities that involve other physicians and
clinical teams.

What is Quality?

There are many definitions of quality in health care. The Institute of Medicine defines
quality as, "the degree to which health services for individuals and populations
increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current
professional knowledge". Quality assurance may be defined as "an organised system
for improving practice or quality of care".

Options for Quality Assurance Activities

Some examples of Quality Activities are provided. The list is not meant to be
exhaustive. The objective is to provide possibilities for worthwhile activities.

A. APPROPRIATENESS, EXCELLENCE AND SAFETY

1. Audits of Processes and/or Outcomes:

  • particular admissions or discharge diagnoses eg common or rare or interesting
    conditions; conditions with high risk of unfavourable outcomes; conditions
    requiring risky or expensive investigations/treatments;
  • particular diagnosis related group (DRG);
  • particular groupings of co-morbid diagnoses or complications eg diabetics
    with myocardial infarction; stroke after myocardial infarction;
  • particular investigations and procedures eg liver biopsy; gastroscopy;
    colonoscopy; bronchoscopy; echocardiograms; Hickman catheter; nasogastric
    and PEG intubation;
  • particular clinician/unit/hospital - practice variations;
  • particular complications and adverse events eg deep vein thrombosis, infected
    I/V line, MRSA; urinary tract infections after catheterisation; "sentinel"
    events;
  • particular drug(s) prescribed eg all patients given thrombolytics or
    anticoagulants or antibiotics; all patients prescribed more than 6 drugs;
  • particular patients eg non-English speaking; disabled; socially deprived; from
    one source/area;
  • re-admissions over a particular time period;
  • patients with protracted admissions;
  • patients in a particular site eg emergency department; ICU; CCU; stroke unit;
  • waiting times eg for appointments; to be seen in clinics; in emergency
    departments and wards; for specific treatments eg thrombolytics; for
    investigations eg gastroscopy; to be seen by responsible senior staff after
    admission; to be seen following consultation requests;
  • follow-up of non-attenders eg clinic, office;
  • medical record quality audits including:
    • documentation of factual material: smoking and drinking habits; family
      history; age at menopause; social history;
    • documentation of sources of data other than from patients;
    • documentation of names and contact numbers of referring practitioner
      and relatives;
    • quality of recorded physical examination eg documentation of ankle
      reflexes and optic fundus appearance in diabetics; recording of acute
      brain syndromes; quantification of cognitive impairment;
    • quality of progress notes eg documentation of investigations,
      procedures and consultation requests; frequency and legibility of
      progress notes; quality of consultation request and responses; quality
      of interim summaries; documentation of responses to treatment and
      adverse outcomes; documentation of communication with partners,
      family and medical practitioners; signatures; documentation of
      management and discharge plans; documentation of patient education;
      highlighting and follow-up of abnormal investigation results;
      documentation of allergies; documentation of consent;
    • presence and quantity of "not for resuscitation" orders;
    • legibility, quality and appropriateness of prescriptions for admitted
      patients, discharged and ambulatory patients;
    • quality of discharge summaries eg length and relevance of data; use of
      abbreviations; legibility; distribution list; documentation of follow-up
      plans.

Criteria Audits:  Sources of Standards

2. Incident Reporting and Monitoring

  • Obligatory reporting of rates of specific adverse events after particular
    investigations, drugs or procedures eg gastroscopy; methotrexate in
    rheumatoid disease; colonoscopy; intravenous therapy; blood transfusion;
    coronary angioplasty;
  • Voluntary (identified or anonymous) monitoring of harmful or potentially
    harmful events eg prescribing errors; errors due to delays in abnormal
    investigation results reaching medical record and/or being seen by the
    requester.
3. Accuracy and reproducibility of Clinical and Investigative Data

  • calibration of equipment eg nuclear medicine equipment;
  • accuracy of data entering databases;
  • precision and reproducibility of blood pressure measurements;
  • intra-observer and interobserver variations eg blood films, EEGs, chest x-rays,
    CT head scans, mini-mental test scores.
B. SATISFACTION

Patient/carer/family satisfaction

  • patient satisfaction studies in private practice, clinics and wards;
  • satisfaction of carers and family with written or verbal information provided.
Satisfaction of Other Professionals

  • satisfaction of general practitioners with communications from hospitals;
  • satisfaction with training programs for nurses (eg coronary care) and for
    physician trainees.

C. GROUP ACTIVITIES *

Audit (also see 1 above)

  • eg. development of standards, benchmarks and audit criteria; audit of all
    consecutive patients admitted or seen in clinics over a specified time period;
    audit of patients having particular procedures or treatments; audit of patients
    with adverse outcomes eg death, specific morbidities, "sentinel" events.
Guideline and Pathway Development

  • eg. anticoagulation; peptic ulceration; helicobacter eradication; thalassaemia
    clinic; thrombolytics; asthma education; asthma treatment; treatment of acute
    pneumonia.
Committee

  • eg. member of unit or hospital Quality, Audit or Peer Review Committee;
    hospital accreditation; disease registers;
  • The group need not meet face-to-face but could communicate by
    correspondence, telephone or email.


PHYSICIAN ASSESSMENT

Physician Assessment is regarded as helpful in identifying your areas of strength and weakness, both in terms of skill competency and the way they are perceived by others. You will be evaluated on your :

  • Medical Skills
    eg. practical/technical skills, diagnostic/problem solving skills, patient management skills;
  • Humanistic Qualities
    eg. interpersonal/communication skills, compassion, integrity, responsibility.
How to undertake a Physician Assessment

Step 1 Approach 15 colleagues seeking their consent to act as raters. These colleagues may include other physicians, GPs and other medically qualified personnel, nursing and allied health professionals. However the list should be predominantly composed of medically qualified personnel.

Step 2 Compile a list of names and addresses of these 15 individuals and return this to Continuing Professional Development Unit in the Education Deanery at the College.

Step 3 The College will then make contact with the people nominated asking them to complete and return the Physician Assessment Rating Form in confidence.

Step 4 When all forms have been returned, the results will be analysed. This process can take between 1 and 2 months, depending upon how quickly the forms are returned by the raters.

Step 5 A report will be generated and forwarded to you. It will consist of a series of ratings within the 12 areas and will include the mean score along with the maximum and minimum scores obtained.

Points: 10 points can be claimed for a PA within the QA component. This activity may be undertaken twice in a cycle, but it is highly recommended that the second PA be linked to another QA or CME activity.

 

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