Written by Beth Tripp
The goal of 30 hours of CPD can be a little overwhelming when you graduate. What counts as CPD is often a question we get asked at Nutrition Graduates, so we thought we would share some information to answer just that.
What is CPD and why do we need to do it?
Let’s start by breaking down what is actually meant by CPD. CPD refers to continuing professional development and this is something we need to carry out in the nutrition space to ensure we stay up to date with the latest evidence-based research. If you are registered with the Association for Nutrition as a registered associate nutritionist or registered nutritionist, you will need to undertake 30 hours of CPD a year and keep records and reflections on these.
What classes as CPD?
The CPD you will need to carry out will differ depending on whether you are a registered nutritionist or registered associate nutritionist, however what actually counts as CPD remains the same. CPD can vary between formal CPD and informal CPD.
Formal CPD
Formal CPD activities are a little bit more obvious as counting as CPD. These are activities such as attending webinars, journal clubs, conferences etc. See below for a full list of formal CPD activities.
- Webinars
- Training courses
- Further study/additional qualifications
- Attending a conference
Informal CPD
Informal CPD is when people often get confused if something counts as CPD or not. It’s also activities where you are less likely to get a certificate of attendance which also can leave people questioning if they can count it as CPD. Anything that is nutrition-related can count out as CPD, whether that is watching a TV documentary, listening to a podcast, or volunteering at a food bank, it all counts. See below for a list of what counts.
- Mentoring
- Presenting research
- Developing materials for a webinar or course
- Being involved in a professional body
- Acting as a reviewer
- Reading journal articles
- Reading or writing magazine or blog articles e.g. CN Magazine, NHD
- Volunteering
- Updating knowledge via internet searches
- Watching a TV documentary
Does it have to be AfN accredited?
Often people think that only AfN accredited CPD count towards the 30 hours but this is not true. CPD that is AfN accredited is endorsed by the AfN so is recommended by them, but it isn’t to say others aren’t good sources of CPD as we need a variety.
Do I need a certificate?
In short no, but you do need some proof of attendance, so a certificate is good for that. You could take a picture of you watching or listening to something or you could show a picture of a conference etc.
So you are probably thinking there is a lot more that counts as CPD then you first thought! Which can be a big relief. What really matters when it comes to counting as CPD is how you reflect on what you have watched or taken part in. Keep your eyes peeled for a blog on reflections if this is an area you struggle with.