Continuing professional development (CPD) is an ongoing, learning process through which osteopaths not only maintain their competence to practise but also continue to enhance their professional skills and knowledge. The Osteopathic Council requires that practitioners complete a stipulated total of CPD hours each year. All courses that practitioners wish to count towards their CPD total must be approved by the Council. It is usual and encouraged for either the practitioner or the course provider to seek approval in advance of attending/running the course. Retrospective approval will be considered but will not guarantee CPD points. A CPD year runs from 1st January to 31st December.
Please complete and submit the on-line application form. Alternatively, the form can be printed out, completed and posted. Please ensure the presenter’s CV and course brochure are included in both on-line and postal application. Do not fill out an application form if the course is already on the list of approved courses.
The applicant will be advised of the outcome and if approved, the course will be posted on the list of approved courses on the Council website.
Registrants are required to provide proof of having completed courses to the required standard, and of attending conferences/seminars for the claimed amount of time. Therefore course providers must provide a signed certificate of successful completion at the conclusion of the course. The certificate should contain the name of the course and the organisation providing the course, the practitioner’s name, the date of the course, and should verify successful completion. If the course provider has obtained Council approval in advance of running the course then the certificate may also contain the following notation: ‘ Approved by the Osteopathic Council for [ … ] category [1 or 2] credits’.
Approved courses are allocated into one of two categories. The category is dependent upon the course content and how closely the content aligns with the Council’s Competency Framework.
Category 1
is for learning in formal situations or contexts, and is awarded one credit for each hour of learning. A minimum of 15 category 1 CPD is required annually, 15 may also be carried over into the following year. Examples:
- Courses run by tertiary institutes relevant to the osteopathic scope of practice e.g. University of Otago, AUT.
- Courses/seminars run by medical and health science institutes e.g. Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation of Australia and New Zealand and Upledger Institute.
- Osteopathic conferences e.g. OSNZ, ISOP, AOA, BOA, American Osteopathic Association or Academy annual conferences/convocations
Category 2
is for less structured learning which is not so closely aligned to the competency framework and is awarded half a CPD credit for every hour of learning. Examples:
- First Aid Certificate – 1day refresher or 2 day comprehensive course 4 credits.
- AGMs
- Peer Group Meetings (PGM) as long as they are not a social event. PGM may be awarded category 1 status but each specific meeting needs to be approved.
Teaching/Tutoring should be pre-approved – a maximum total of 10 credits can be gained from teaching the following courses:
- Unitec BAppSc and Master of Osteopathy programme,
- Approved CPD courses,
- Osteopathic post-graduate courses
This is irrespective of whether the course is in New Zealand or overseas, how many hours you teach (i.e. over 20), or how many different courses you teach at different institutions.
To be credited please supply verification that you attended and lectured i.e. a signed letter or certificate from the institution that provided the training, also the hours that you were engaged in lecturing/tutoring must be stated.
CPD is not given:
- to courses which appear to be marketing products.
- to courses which are at an undergraduate level e.g. massage.
- journal reading
- watching television/DVDs/video documentaries with an osteopathic or medical content (unless under special circumstances).
