CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) OF DOCTORS IN SRI LANKA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.

Year 2022, , 48 - 55, 29.04.2022

Ranga Sabhapathige , Dilrukshi Deerasinghe , Gamege Ranasinghe

https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1018314

Abstract

Abstract: Continuous professional development is the method by which doctors maintain their knowledge, abilities, and attitudes up to date to meet the demands of their patients, the health service, and their career growth. The goal of this study is to evaluate Sri Lanka's present continuous professional development program for medical officers. This qualitative study was conducted from January 2020 to August 2020 at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews, as well as two focus group discussions and a review of the literature.
In 2010, the Sri Lanka Medical Association launched a new initiative with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Medical Council, the Ministry of Health, and the professional colleges, which was partially successful. However, this program could not be sustained for an extended period. At the movement, there is no well-organized continuous professional development program for Sri Lankan doctors.
Continuous professional development activities are not required for doctors in Sri Lanka to practice or renew their registration. In the absence of a well-organized and streamlined program for medical officers, medical officers' lack of interest in participating in programs, the fact that programs do not reach out to remote areas of the country, and a lack of financial incentives for continuous professional development activities have all been identified as major reasons for non-engagement in activities.
Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that the ministry establish a central body to organize, streamline, and coordinate programs, that an annual calendar is prepared and published on the ministry website, that a mechanism is developed to link continuous professional development activities to the renewal of the Sri Lanka Medical Council registration, and that a web-based mechanism is established to bring medical officers working in rural hospitals for programs.

Keywords

Continuos professional development, Revalidation, career pathway, Doctors, Sri lanka

Supporting Institution

Ministry of health Sri Lanka

Thanks

The authors would like to thank Deputy director-general medical services 11, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka for his valuable support.

References

• [1] GMC, “Continuing professional development - GMC,” 2012, 2012. https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/guidance/continuing-professional-development.
• [2] C. Peck, M. Mccall, B. Mclaren, and T. Rotem, “Education and debate Continuing medical education and continuing professional development: international comparisons Methods Common features of systems for professional development internationally Continuing professional development and recertification in Europe,” 2000. [Online]. Available: www.bmj.com.
• [3] WHO, “Regional Guidelines for Continuing Medical Education (CME)/ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activities,” 2010.
• [4] ACCME, “CME Content: Definition and Examples | ACCME,” 2020. https://accme.org/accreditation-rules/policies/cme-content-definition-and-examples .
• [5] SMC, “SMC | Continuing Medical Education (CME) for Doctors,” 2003. https://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg/smc/continuing-medical-education-(cme)-for-doctors.
• [6] Y. J. Samarasinghe, W. K. W. S. Kumarawansa, A. J. Abhayaratne, I. W. M. J. Wickramaratne, and P. H. Wijenayake, “A SWOT analysis of implementation of continuous professional development for medical doctors in Sri Lanka,” South-East Asian J. Med. Educ., vol. 14, no. 1, p. 16, Aug. 2020, doi: 10.4038/seajme.v14i1.174.
• [7] G. S. . Ranasinghe and P. W. . Panapitiya, “A study of current Continuous Medical Education / Continuous Professional Development programmes for health care staff with special focus on Medical officers and recommendation for improvement,” Int. J. Sci. Res. Publ., vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 525–527, Aug. 2020, doi: 10.29322/ijsrp.10.08.2020.p10466.
• [8] R. Griebenow et al., “Roles and Responsibilities in the Provision of Accredited Continuing Medical Education/Continuing Professional Development,” J. Eur. C., vol. 6, no. 1, p. 1314416, Jan. 2017, doi: 10.1080/21614083.2017.1314416.
• [9] J. Ygsw and C. Author, “Are South East Asian Countries Ready for Revalidation Process of Physicians Through Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Activities?,” South East Asian J. Med. Educ., vol. 10, no. 1, 2016, doi: 10.3402/jecme.v4.27411.
• [10] Epa S.S, Natinal CPD certificate, Information and guidebook. Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2010.
• [11] I. Karunathilake, W. Jayarathne, K. Marambe, and J. Ygsw, “CPD provision Framework for Sri Lankan Grade Medical officers Development of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Provision Framework for Sri Lankan Grade Medical Officers,” 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325176369.
• [12] Health education England, “Continuing Professional Development.” https://www.westmidlandsdeanery.nhs.uk/postgraduate-schools/public-health/ph-practitioners/continuing-professional-development.
• [13] N. Shah, M. Soomro, M. Musharraf, and S. Shaikh, “Mixed method survey to assess the problems and propose solutions for implementation of CME/CPD in Sindh, Pakistan,” Pakistan J. Med. Sci., vol. 35, no. 2, p. 555, Feb. 2019, doi: 10.12669/PJMS.35.2.243. [14] M. R. K. I. Kulatunga Gumindu, “Introduction of Web based Continuous Professional Development to Sri Lanka,” Sri lanka J. Biomed. informatics, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 127–131, 2012, doi: 10.4038/sljbmi.v3i1.4798.
• [15] Curran VR and Fleet L, “Review of evaluation outcome of web based continuing medical education,” Med. Educ., vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 561–567, Jun. 2005.