RACP CPD, beyond the post-nominals

Date published:
14 Oct 2025

In the world of medicine, post-nominals are more than credentials. They mark years of commitment to training, professional expertise, ongoing learning and ethical standards. They establish credibility to employers and amongst peers, as well as opportunities for career advancement.

All around the world, medical professionals who pursue specialisation are awarded a post-nominals by their medical college (at the RACP, this is Fellowship, FRACP). This is not something the medical fraternity take lightly. It is a great achievement, one for which, practitioners, and medical colleges, are extremely proud.

But, what happens once those demanding years of training are complete, and those hard-won post-nominals are achieved? Does the relationship with your medical college end there? The answer is, no. By and large, Fellows remain connected to their medical college and their community of peers in annual membership.

Beyond post nominals and the recognition they confer, the value of ongoing membership lies in what specialty medical colleges were founded to uphold: education, training and lifelong learning.

For all practising physician in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is not optional.

Let’s address the elephant in the room. For Australian Fellows, Ahpra and the MBA introduced changes to CPD requirements starting 1 January 2023. All doctors are now required to be registered with an accredited CPD home by 1 January 2024. This means that Fellows can choose from a small number of accredited providers, including their medical college. Beyond the 16 medical colleges in Australia, there are only a handful of accredited non-college providers.

Why RACP CPD is your trusted CPD home

There are a number of benefits of RACP CPD for RACP members across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

  • Continuity in specialist development: One of the core functions of the RACP is to provide CPD and education for Fellows who have completed their training. Stay connected to the education and professional growth that shaped your Fellowship.

  • Designed for physicians, by physicians: Put simply, RACP CPD has been designed for your specific requirements. Our CPD program provides a tailored education framework, activity templates and overall experience that has been designed by physicians, for physicians. The RACP CPD program is effectively underwritten and safeguarded by a CPD Committee made of physicians from a range of specialisations, practices (hospitals, private practice, clinical research and education).

  • Access to a range of specialised and tailored CPD learning resources: RACP members have access to resources aligned with the CPD Framework and regulatory requirements. Our dedicated online education resources such as College Learning Series, MedFlix, and Pomegranate Health, support your lifelong learning and professional development needs and cover a range of clinical and professional topics.

  • RACP MyCPD, with you when and where you need: We know you’re not always in the one spot, so we’ve made sure that you can access RACP MyCPD where and when you need.

  • Easy, accessible and tailored CPD tools: We acknowledge that completing CPD is yet another requirement for already busy physicians. RACP provides CPD members with a range of helpful templates, easy to understand CPD framework, and the MyCPD Handbook that breaks down CPD requirements.

  • Earn CPD hours through RACP activities: RACP members can earn Category 1 CPD hours for taking part in a number of College activities, such as undertaking College educational roles; taking part in College Committees, working groups or councils; attending RACP events; and reviewing scholarship submissions.

  • Ongoing support: The RACP CPD team understand there are times when members need some support and guidance with their CPD requirements. The RACP CPD team is on hand to assist RACP CPD members with all their CPD enquiries.

As your career evolves – whether you take on leadership, supervisor roles, change employers, change mode of practice, or even move countries – your medical college remains one of the longest professional relationships you will hold. Through Fellowship, membership and CPD, the RACP provides more than compliance, it sustains the credibility of your post-nominals, supports your professional goals and champions your lifelong learning.

Tags: CPD

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