Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a vital part of maintaining clinical competence and staying updated in the medical field. However, with the sheer volume of information doctors need to absorb, it can be overwhelming. One effective strategy to manage this challenge is chunking—a learning technique your brain is naturally wired to use.

What is Chunking?

Chunking is a cognitive learning strategy that involves breaking down large amounts of information into smaller, more manageable units or "chunks." This approach takes advantage of the brain's ability to recognize patterns and group related information, making complex concepts easier to understand and recall.

A simple example of chunking in everyday life is how we remember phone numbers. It’s easier to recall 0401 234 567 than 0401234567 because the number is broken into familiar segments.

But chunking isn’t just for short-term memory. It can also improve long-term retention by creating organized frameworks that make information easier to recall and expand upon.

For many doctors, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) becomes a last-minute scramble as deadlines loom. Recent data from Osler revealed that nearly 26% of CPD activities are logged in the final two months of the year. It’s a common cycle of procrastination, but one that can lead to stress and burnout.

The good news? There are ways to break the cycle and make CPD more manageable, even enjoyable. Here’s how you can set yourself up for CPD success in 2025.

As healthcare professionals, our journey of learning and development is continuous and ever-evolving. In this article I’ll delve into the realms of micro debriefing and self debriefing, tools that hold immense potential in shaping the growth of clinicians.

Navigating the complexities of medical practice while managing personal career growth can be daunting. One of the key tools at your disposal for ensuring continual growth and success is the development of SMART goals. But what makes some goals succeed while others falter? Often, the difference lies in how these goals are structured.

CPD Homes are just around the corner.  In the new year, almost all of Australia's 120,000 doctor will be required to join a CPD Home.  Right now, only the 16 Australasian colleges, and two non-college providers are accredited and operational - one of which is Osler.

In this sit down with Osler co-founder and chief medical officer Dr Todd Fraser, we'll explore what Osler is bringing to the table.

The Australian Medical Board has recently introduced new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Home requirements for doctors. One of the key changes is the inclusion of a "Measuring Outcomes" category, which requires doctors to participate in activities that measure the impact of their practice on patient outcomes.

Having a peer observe your practice and provide you with feedback can be an intimidating process. However, the potential benefits may justify putting yourself through that anxiety.

That said, if done poorly, peer review can be unhelpful, and even cause harm.

In this article, I’ll review some of the important steps to consider.

Attending a medical conference is a common learning activity for medical professionals.

However, the investment you make is considerable, both in terms of costs, time away from home and so on, so you want to make sure you get the most from them.

In this article I’ll describe some helpful tips to help you get the most out of it.

The end of the year is closing fast. For Australia’s 120,000 registered doctors, the new year will usher in a range of new changes to mandatory CPD, and none are causing more concern than “Measuring Outcomes”.

In this article, I’ll review what the new category means, the background behind it, and how your 2024 CPD might look.

In the dynamic landscape of modern medicine, keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in medical literature is not a luxury, but a necessity. The sheer volume and pace of new information may seem daunting, but it is crucial to remember that this knowledge forms the backbone of superior patient care, professional growth, and maintaining our medical competence.

Patient feedback plays an increasingly critical role in shaping physician performance and overall patient care. This article explores the potential benefits and challenges of patient feedback, its collection methods, potential negative impacts, and the evidence supporting its use as a performance improvement strategy.

Chances are, you view the process of Workplace Based Assessment (WBA) as a negative. At best, it’s a necessary evil for you to pass a course or continue your employment. At worst, it can be considered as punitive and even harmful. However, the truth is, WBAs can be a very important learning tool. In this article, we’ll review WBAs and discuss how to get the most out of them.

Receiving feedback is a crucial aspect of personal and professional growth for junior doctors. Feedback, whether positive or negative, provides external validation of strengths and weaknesses while offering valuable suggestions for improvement. In this article, we will explore why feedback is essential, delve into our responses to criticism, discuss the characteristics of effective feedback, highlight common mistakes made by feedback-givers, and provide practical tips for making the most of the feedback you receive. By embracing feedback and adopting proactive strategies, you can optimize your development as a junior doctor.

Burnout is a pervasive issue that affects many junior doctors, leading to physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. In this article, we will delve into what burnout entails, its prevalence, the underlying causes, and the potential consequences of failing to act upon it. Moreover, we will explore actionable strategies to reduce the incidence and impact of burnout in the lives of junior doctors.

Participating in a Root Cause Analysis may seem daunting to junior doctors at first, but it can be fantastic for your continuing professional development (CPD Home program). In this article, we cover the basics of an RCA, how they work and what you can get out of being part of one.

Whether you're a junior doctor just starting your journey or a seasoned senior doctor, one potent CPD Home tool that stands out in augmenting your learning trajectory is the art of mind mapping.

Want to help the future generation of healthcare, and simultaneously add to your own CPD? Consider becoming a mentor

This article overviews mentorship and how it can help you become a better clinician too.

Reading and staying up-to-date with the latest research is an important part of continuing professional development (CPD) for healthcare professionals. By keeping up with the latest findings in their field, clinicians can improve their knowledge and skills, ultimately providing better care for their patients. In this article, we'll explore the best ways for junior doctors in Australia to stay informed about new research and get the most from their journal reading.