Personal Development Plan

A PDP (personal development plan) is an important tool in self-directed professional learning. All doctors are expected to create and maintain a PDP and this is an essential skill in the process of appraisal and revalidation.

Identify Objectives

A PDP is a statement of learning objectives or goals, with a plan of how and when these will be addressed. Learning Needs Assessment is essential, rewarding and deserves a page to itself. Most people refresh their PDP annually or at the start of a new job, but initial goals are just that and a PDP should be an evolving document into which you can add new needs as you identify them. A PUNS&DENS log is a good way of catching new needs big or small.

Get SMART

The next step is to set SMART goals, i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based.

You should plan, as specifically as possible, what you are going to do to achieve each goal. In the example above, this may include attending dermatology talks, going to out-patient clinics, completing online learning modules and setting aside time for personal reading.

You should be able to define when you will meet your objective and how you will demonstrate that it has been met (e.g. a certificate from an on-line learning module, or a case study showing increased confidence in managing a particular problem).

Keep Records

Keep evidence such as certificates or course programmes for your appraisal portfolio. You should also have a way of recording day to day learning such as a PUNS, DENS & reflection diary. (PUNS are patient unmet needs, DENS are Doctors Educational Needs. You don’t have to have a PUN to have a DEN, though) This can be kept at your desk or in your pocket, on paper or in a PDA. One method is to record, date, patient number, learning need and subsequently where you found your answers or what changes you made.

The RCGP ePortfolio contains a PDP template to fill in online. Other internet-based PDP tools are available e.g. ondoctors.net, onmedica and iGPnotebook. Have a look at different on-line PDP tools to see which you find most helpful, or use a paper-based record if you prefer.

PDPs can encompass many areas, both clinical and non-clinical. For example, one of the areas covered in yearly appraisal is personal health, so you could include a goal related to personal fitness or wellbeing.

Learning Resources for all GPs

Personal Development Plans and Portfolios

Identify Objectives

Get SMART

Keep Records

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