CPD requirements for doctors in Ireland

Doctor CPD requirements under the current framework

Which doctors must maintain professional competence?

The Medical Council's professional guidance says doctors must meet its requirements for maintenance of professional competence, enrol in a Professional Competence Scheme that reflects their area of practice, and plan, undertake and keep a record of CPD as directed by the scheme operator.

For doctors on the General, Supervised or Specialist divisions, the applicable scheme should reflect registration and area of practice. Doctors in formal specialist training operate under their training arrangements rather than simply applying this page as a standalone checklist.

Because registration status and practice circumstances matter, a doctor should confirm the exact scheme that applies to them with the Medical Council and their relevant Professional Competence Scheme operator.

How much CPD do doctors need in Ireland?

Current Professional Competence Scheme guidance implementing the Medical Council framework requires 50 hours of CPD activity annually.

Doctors engaged in the practice of medicine

Doctors not engaged in the practice of medicine

The 50-hour total still applies, but current scheme guidance provides a different category split: 5 Planning CPD, a minimum combined 25 credits/hours across Practice Review and Work-Based Learning, and 20 Accredited Continuing Education.

What counts as CPD for doctors?

The current framework deliberately spreads CPD across different learning methods rather than treating 50 conference hours as equivalent to a complete professional-competence record.

Scheme guidance generally uses one hour of learning as one CPD credit for conventional courses and workshops, while some activities have specified credit values.

What records should doctors keep?

Doctors record ongoing professional-competence activities through the ePortfolio or recording system operated by their Professional Competence Scheme. Current scheme guidance says evidence should be retained for Work-Based Learning and Accredited Continuing Education activities, and for some Planning activities.

For Accredited Continuing Education, evidence should identify the doctor, the activity and the organising institution and demonstrate that the activity occurred within the relevant Professional Competence year. An agenda or booking confirmation on its own does not prove attendance.

Doctors also make a professional-competence declaration as part of the Medical Council annual retention process. The scheme's Annual Statement of Participation provides formal evidence of recorded engagement.

Does a doctor's CPD need to be accredited?

The answer depends on the CPD category. The current framework specifically requires 20 hours of Accredited Continuing Education each year. Current scheme guidance says Continuing Education used in that category must be accredited in Ireland or in the state where it is delivered.

Other valid professional-development activity may still be recordable in another category, but it does not replace the annual Accredited Continuing Education minimum.

How CPD Ireland MyCPD can help doctors

CPD Ireland's MyCPD can be useful as a supplementary private record for CPD Ireland Verified certificates and self-recorded learning, with optional supporting files.

Doctor CPD questions

Official sources

This guide uses the Medical Council's professional standards together with current implementation guidance from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), an Irish Professional Competence Scheme operator. Doctors should confirm their own requirements with the Medical Council and their actual scheme operator.