Reflecting on veterinary CPD: 11 tips and prompts to make CPD reflection easy

Continued professional development (CPD) is essential in veterinary practice, where the literature and recommended treatments are constantly moving forward. With CPD now recorded via the 1CPD website or app, it should be easier and more efficient than ever to keep veterinary CPD records up to date. However, the requirement not just to record but to reflect on our CPD has many people asking “How do I reflect on my CPD?” In this article, we’ll focus on how to get the most out of your professional development training, with tips and prompts to make reflecting on your veterinary CPD useful, without being too time-consuming. 

Tips for reflecting on veterinary CPD

1. Plan and prepare for CPD with reflection in mind

It’s much easier to reflect on vet and vet nurse CPD if it’s part of your overall professional development plan – that way your objectives will be clear, and you’ll be building knowledge and skills in areas where you’ve already decided you’d like to progress or get up to speed. That’s why we’ve put together a helpful guide to planning your CPD and offer guidance to help you find the right CPD for you. Of course, we’re not saying you should skip that free vet CPD just because it’s not part of your overall plan – but taking some time before you start to think about what you’d like to gain from it will help to put you in a focussed learning headspace. You might even absorb and recall information more easily too!

2. Reflect together

Part of the reason why reflecting on your veterinary CPD can seem like a daunting or arduous task is because it’s typically done alone. But what if you reflected as a group? Asking colleagues or vet friends about their recent CPD and answering their questions about yours is a great way to get the reflective juices flowing, not to mention ensuring your recently gained knowledge stays put and you put changes into action – which is why the RCVS asks us to reflect.

3. Don’t wait too long

We’ve all been there – it’s a couple of days before the RCVS renewal deadline and you suddenly realise you’re way behind on your reflections. Cramming in reflections in this way as a tick-box exercise will give minimal learning benefits and will feel like much more of an ordeal. Instead, reflect while the course is fresh in your mind – ideally within a few days or a week of the training.

4. Follow a template

Create a reflection template that works for you and follow it for each CPD reflection. You can use the prompts below as a guide. Once you’ve found a template that suits you, your CPD reflection will be much less time-consuming. 

Prompts for reflecting on veterinary CPD

1. How did the course/topic align with my current CPD objectives?

Was this an area where you knew you wanted to improve your knowledge and skills? Or was it a new topic that piqued your interest? Perhaps you were looking to move forward after a tricky case or bounce back after a mistake or adverse event. Write a line or two about why you took this online veterinary course, qualification, or vet nurse CPD. 

2. What’s new?

Has there been an update in the field that you’re learning about? Perhaps there’s a new licensed treatment or a recently published study that suggests a different approach? Keeping a specific note of the most recent information will help you stay up to date with your advice and treatment recommendations. 

3. What were the three most important takeaways?

You’ll never remember 100% of the information available at a veterinary CPD course – some information will be forgotten almost immediately, and some will linger for a while and only disappear when not put into practice a few months later. Taking time to consider and record the key points from the CPD will help you to hang on to the most important parts.

4. What will I do differently because of this?

How will what you’ve learned change the way you practice? Is there new information or advances that mean that there’s now a better way to diagnose or treat a case? If so, how will you share this information with your team? Remember, it’s ok to say that it wouldn’t change your approach, explaining why you feel this way is reflection too! 

5. What suited me about the learning format?

Everyone learns differently. Some absorb and process information best through reading, others through listening, discussing, or doing. Make sure you reflect on what worked for you so that you can choose a similar format in the future, whether that’s in-person, practical vet CPD courses, or online vet CPD where you work through the material at your own pace. 

6. What didn’t suit me about the learning format?

By the same token, it’s really important to identify the learning formats that don’t work for you. If you sat through a webinar for two hours but found you took in very little, you might find an in-person course or online live course better, especially if you learn best through discussion and asking questions. 

7. What is the next step?

So, you’ve completed this particular CPD – what’s next? Are you satisfied with your current knowledge and skills in this area or are you passionate and wanting to take things further? If you’ve found a thirst for knowledge, you should research courses, training, or advanced veterinary qualifications that will help you progress in this area, and adjust your CPD plan to reflect your new goal! 

Summary

Reflecting on your veterinary CPD might seem time-consuming and a bit of a chore, but when it’s done well it can help to solidify your knowledge and skills and shape your career. To keep CPD reflection as efficient and enjoyable as possible, try to involve your colleagues, don’t leave it too long, and follow a reflection template of prompts like the questions above. That way, the days of you cramming your reflection into the final days before your RCVS renewal will finally be over!