14 Mar 2023
Carefully tailored CPD plans can provide the perfect platform for team members to develop their careers and learn new skills. But it is important to ensure the needs of the individual and the business are aligned…
Lorraine Wright
Job Title
Image © Prostock-studio / Adobe Stock
Regardless of the topic, CPD brings vast rewards and has become integral to good business. It’s a way to learn and develop, with the individual and business benefiting immensely.
Continuous improvement contributes towards better personal, clinical and business outcomes, but to achieve this culture of growth, leaders must prioritise CPD and provide a safe, supportive environment where their teams can flourish. Furthermore, business owners must recognise the need to align a team’s CPD needs with the overall business vision. In this article, we’ll explore all the factors to consider in achieving this, while choosing the right CPD for you and your teams.
CPD is not only an investment in the individual, but an investment in the practice. CPD will strengthen professionals’ skills and knowledge, and prepare them for new areas or increased responsibilities. It boosts confidence, enhances professional credibility and helps overcome new challenges.
When considering the best options for CPD, it is good practice for leaders and employees to discuss a budgeted CPD plan that includes an evaluative and reflective process. By working on a personal development plan together, employees and practice leaders can harmonise their goals with increased teamwork and enhanced practice capabilities – all while achieving optimal personal outcomes.
Additionally, to aid a well-rounded approach to learning and development, consider a person’s role and contributions to the team holistically, including any particular species or specialist areas they work in or tasks they enjoy performing that fall outside of the job description.
The evidence base is constantly changing and evolving, with new knowledge and techniques, so it is imperative we recognise this and include it in our development CPD plan in all relevant areas of competencies. It is easy to focus CPD on areas we feel comfortable and secure in, but this can hinder growth opportunities for both the individual and the practice. For instance, someone might love doing surgery and focus 100% on surgical CPD.
But what if 50% of their role requires consulting, and 10% of that includes exotics? Opportunity arises here to brush up on consultancy skills, species knowledge and, perhaps, the latest technological capabilities. We should be capitalising on opportunities to challenge and expand beyond our comfort zones.
Quality learning extends far beyond knowledge transfer. It is an active relationship between student and teacher. Quality learning is about self-reflection, psychological safety and a feedback system in which learning objectives are relevant, achievable and suitable. At its core, quality learning is a vessel to encourage commitment to lifelong learning. It ensures students progress in a structured, effective way with lasting benefits.
Quality learning comes in various formats, making learning individualised and accessible. Whether it’s an online course, an in-person class-led academy or a formal educational institution, the quality is determined by its structure and execution. The impact measures success. According to Finance Online 2021 and LinkedIn Learning 2021, 68% of employees prefer to learn or train on the job. In these instances, employing an in-house provider, virtual learning system or mentor support is beneficial.
CPD can increase confidence and overall well-being, provided you absorb, reflect and implement the newly acquired skills. It can make us feel valued and inspire us to excel.
Every individual is unique. We each have a learning style that falls into one of the following categories – and in some cases, a combination of these. Let’s explore those learning styles:
Auditory learners prefer to hear information and respond best to spoken instructions or group discussions. So, podcasts, presentations and webinars are good options here.
Visual learners absorb lessons best with visual examples and demonstrations. They need to see how something looks. Explanatory diagrams, graphs, presentations and videos are most effective for these types of people.
Our third style is kinaesthetic. Kinaesthetic learners are tactile. They engage best when they can get a feel for something; when they can move about, get involved and practise. In this instance, as with group exercises, practical, hands-on workshops are a perfect choice.
For broad subject learning, combined formats can enrich learning by introducing variety and encouraging us to move beyond our comfort zone. Before the 2020 pandemic, The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) 2015 Learning and Development study predicted mobile learning, virtual classrooms, and social media would be the top three areas to impact learning and development in the next five years.
These are common now, and while Gen Z employees often take to these formats like ducks to water, in my experience, many people are nervous and lack confidence in their ability to embrace new technology in their learning experiences. Bearing this in mind, consider adopting less common options, such as reflection, research, clinical case studies, journal clubs, self-directed learning, clinical peer huddles, and in-practice analysis of best practice procedures and protocols.
And let’s not rule out the value of traditional, equally beneficial methods, such as reading.
As simple as it sounds, allowing proper time for research, reading and absorption can reap high rewards. Done methodically, this can advance career prospects and improve efficacy within the work environment.
Reflective evaluation is vital to deepening the learning gained from CPD. Albert Einstein once said: “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”
Reflection, then, is an opportunity to think about our learning and question effectiveness, progress and direction. The RCVS’ “One CPD” app encourages reflection for precisely this reason – to reinforce our learning and maximise understanding. All good CPD providers, mentors, coaches and tutors – whether clinical or non-clinical – encourage reflection and build it into the structure of their courses because it is integral to quality learning.
The same 2015 CIPD research also proved that where improving practice performance is a motivating factor for CPD, we are significantly more likely to hold an in-depth evaluation of that CPD.
After all, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Whatever the motivation, taking a retrospective analysis – a before and after exercise – invites sensible next steps moving forward.
Areas to consider include the following:
If the chosen quality learning is completed and evaluated well, the benefits are multifaceted: workforce efficiency, team engagement, well-being, enhanced practice offerings, better clinical outcomes and – critically in the current climate – better staff retention.
CPD is constantly evolving. An individual’s and a practice’s needs will invariably change over time. Variety is the key to gaining a well-rounded CPD personal development plan. Consider learning styles and match them with teaching styles. Choose subjects that will aid and complement the person’s role and future progress.
Whether someone is new to the profession or established, they deserve to see the big picture and their place in it. This sense of navigation and control over their success helps them feel confident in their contributions and allows them to enjoy their veterinary journey. Practice leaders can help here.
Choosing the best complementary education throughout our lives can shape us – physically, emotionally and psychologically. Consider unique learning styles and preferred formats. Ensure the learning outcomes are necessary and aligned with the overall practice goals.
Besides meeting regulatory requirements, CPD influences our life choices as well as our careers. It can bring teams and communities together, creating a sense of unity. It can enhance clinical services and outcomes for our patients. The rewards of CPD are vast and far-reaching.
Encourage curiosity. Expand your mind. Grow. Plan it together. Support each other. Reflect. Evaluate. Take time to celebrate personal and professional growth.
The veterinary profession is overflowing with passionate, high achievers, with talents and skills we have yet to discover. CPD is essential to unlocking this potential.
