Be Extraordinary CPD

Are you ready for an extraordinarily great weekend away?

Would you like to learn more about your own bias, how to develop self-awareness, & how to optimise your cultural safety in medicine?

In need of an indulgent, fun & empowering break with like-minded medical colleagues?

Bring your CPD to life & complete your Medical Board of Australia requirements in a meaningful way with ease!

Make new friends & enjoy some much-needed R & R.

Give yourself a treat & turn your March into something vibrant & exciting.

Join us next March 27–29, 2026 at QT Hotel in the coastal beach city of Newcastle, NSW.

What to Expect

A weekend of relaxation & restoration, laughter, smiles, connection, new friends & growth. Develop your skills for self-awareness & critical consciousness. Hear from expert, passionate speakers on well-being, bias in medicine, & cultural safety. Identify your own bias in medicine & find ways to optimise cultural safety in your practice. Enjoy conducting a professional conversation to review your performance as a doctor & complete your mandatory professional development plan. Conduct a cultural safety audit to leverage your practice. Be professionally supported & coached to complete up to 12 hours of CPD with:

• 5 hours of reviewing performance
• A professional conversation
• Completion of your professional development plan
• 5 hours of measuring outcomes on cultural safety

Be inspired & leave knowing yourself that little bit more masterfully. All activities are optional, so feel free to explore Newcastle as needed.

You'll learn

• Self-awareness & critical consciousness skills for leadership & work as a doctor
• How to identify & manage your biases, prejudices & assumptions
• What cultural safety is, why it is important, & how to optimise it
• The 2025 Medical Board of Australia CPD requirements & how to meet them

Inclusions

• Talks on 2025 CPD requirements, wellbeing skills, self-awareness, critical consciousness, bias & cultural safety
• Group CPD sessions designed to empower & equip you with take-home skills
• Up to 12 hours CPD with reviewing performance, a professional conversation, PDP completion, & measuring cultural safety outcomes
• All CPD activities incorporate cultural safety and professional behaviours
• Mindfulness and self-care sessions integrated into all CPD sessions
• Delegate handouts, templates & take-home resources
• Daily heated yoga at Yoga Body Works (beginner-friendly)
• Welcome drinks at Rooftop Bar QT Hotel
• Private shopping experience at Wilson & Hunter
• Wine tasting at Artisanal Cellars
• All meals except breakfast included (morning/afternoon tea, lunches, 2-course Friday dinner, Saturday banquet)

Note: accommodation, travel, parking & breakfasts aren't included.

Program (Subject to Change)

Friday 27th – Friday Funday

• 2:00 pm – Arrival & afternoon tea at QT Hotel
• 2:30 pm – Formal welcome
• 3:00 pm – Optional coastal walk or beach dip
• 4:30 pm – Heated yoga at Yoga Body Works or private shopping at Wilson & Hunter
• 6:00 pm – Welcome drink at Rooftop QT
• 6:45 pm – Two-course dinner at Jana Restaurant

Saturday 28th – Reviewing Performance

• 7:00 am – Optional yin yoga
• 10:00 am – Group CPD: CPD requirements, mindfulness, self-compassion & critical consciousness
• 11:15 am – Morning tea
• 11:30 am – Group CPD: Reviewing biases in medicine (Prof. Forrest)
• 1:00 pm – Lunch
• 2:00 pm – Group CPD: Professional conversation & PDP
• 3:30 pm – Afternoon tea & free time
• 6:00 pm – Optional wine tasting at Artisanal Cellars
• 6:45 pm – Banquet dinner at Oh My Pappa

Sunday 29th – Measuring Outcomes

• 8:00 am – Optional yin & yang heated yoga
• 10:00 am – Group CPD: Cultural Safety in Medicine (Sarah Boyne)
• 11:15 am – Morning tea
• 11:30 am – Group CPD: Cultural Safety Audit Part 1
• 1:00 pm – Lunch
• 2:00 pm – Group CPD: Cultural Safety Audit Part 2
• 3:30 pm – Close
• 4:00 pm – Optional yoga

Guest Speakers

Sarah Boyne

Sarah Boyne has over 25 years of experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health at local, state and national levels. She has developed cultural safety frameworks, community engagement principles, and extensive health programs. Sarah will share deep cultural knowledge and practical strategies for doctors to optimise cultural safety. Her warm & charismatic presenting style is highly engaging.

Professor Kirsty Forrest

Professor Forrest is Dean of Medicine at Bond University, a consultant anaesthetist, and a leader in medical education. She is co-author of several best-selling medical textbooks and brings expertise in reviewing performance and understanding bias in medical practice.

The Host

Dr Susannah Ward is a Specialist Physician in Rehabilitation Medicine, winner of the RACP Basmajian Prize, wellbeing researcher, yoga instructor, author, and founder of Ataraxia Collective. She leads wellbeing initiatives across the RACP and advocates for holistic medical culture.

Contact us for any questions, we would lve to hear from you!
hello@ataraxiacollective.com

Please join our collective to receive notifications of future retreats:
https://www.ataraxiacollective.com.au/join/

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Location

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians publishes notices of events as a service to members. Such publication does not constitute endorsement or mandating of the event.