Continuing Professional Development
All CPSM registrants are required to participate and satisfy the minimum requirements of one of the national licensing body’s continuing professional development (CPD) programs as required in Section 10.4(1) of the CPSM General Regulation of the Regulated Health Professions Act. Physicians licensed to practice must enroll with either the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)’s Mainpro+ or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSCs) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) CPD-tracking programs.
Clinical Assistants (CAs) must participate in the following CPD-tracking program: The Non-PA CPD-Tracking Tool program through the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA).
Physician Assistants must participate in one of the following CPD-tracking programs: Canadian Association of Physician Assistants, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), College of Family Physicians of Canada, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada CPD-tracking programs.
Definitions:
CCFP, FCFP – Indicates Certification or Fellowship in Family Medicine by The College of Family Physicians of Canada. This is granted to family physicians who meet the requirements for certification or fellowship.
FRCPC, FRCSC – A Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. This is granted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to physicians with specialty training who meet their requirements for fellowship.
CCPA – A Canadian Certified Physician Assistant is a Physician Assistant who has met the defined course of study and undergone testing by the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC).
Mainpro+ – The program the College of Family Physicians of Canada uses to track physicians' continuing professional development activities. Physicians are required to submit a total of 250 credits within every five-year cycle.
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) – the program the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada uses to track physicians’ continuing professional development activities. Physicians holding FRCPC or FRCSC are required to meet the requirements for Maintenance of Certification in order to retain their fellowship. Physicians are required to submit a minimum of 25 credits annually and 250 credits within every five-year cycle.
MAINPORT/Maintenance of Certification – Physician Assistants are required to submit a minimum of 25 credits of CPD activities per year and 250 credits over the course of a five-year cycle. Credits are documented using MAINPORT, the CPD reporting tool for the Maintenance of Certification Program.
Non-PA Tracking Tool (on CAPA website)– Clinical Assistants are required to submit a minimum of 25 credits of CPD activities per year and 250 credits over the course of a five-year cycle. This Non-PA Tracking Tool category was created by CAPA specifically for Clinical Assistants.
CPSM’s CPD Program
- If you are not currently enrolled in either Mainpro+, Maintenance of Certification, MAINPORT or the Non-PA Tracking Tool you are required to enroll.
- The College of Family Physicians will permit physicians to enroll in the Mainpro+ program as non-members and have their Continuing Professional Development activities tracked in the same manner as members.
- The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada will permit non-fellow specialists to have their Continuing Professional Development activities tracked in the same manner as fellows enrolled in Maintenance of Certification.
- You will be required to confirm that you have enrolled in the Mainpro+, Maintenance of Certification, MAINPORT or the Non-PA Tracking Tool Program annually when you renew your certificate of practice.
- For United States trained physician assistants, tracking your CPD/CME should be completed in your Personal Certification Record through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Please contact NCCPA for more information or clarification.
- For members holding a Regulated Associate Member Educational Class Certificate to Practice, enrolling in Mainpro+ or Maintenance of Certification is optional (not mandatory).
- You may apply to the Deputy Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons for an exemption from the CPD requirement. Unless an exemption is granted, you must enroll in either Mainpro+, Maintenance of Certification/MAINPORT, or the Non-PA Tracking Tool. Exemptions will be granted sparingly, and only for compelling reasons.
- Annually when you renew your Certificate of Practice, you must confirm your participation and compliance with the minimum CPD requirements. You are also expected to specify whether you are due to complete your 5-year cycle in the current year.
- Random audits with the assistance of CFPC, RCPSC and CAPA will be conducted each year. Members must be able to provide evidence that they have complied with CPD requirements upon the request of the College.
- If the annual requirements have not been met or there is a failure to produce evidence as requested by the College, the Central Standards Committee will refer the member to Registrar.
- If the Registrar considers the referral advisable, he or she may refer the matter to the Investigation Committee.
If you have any questions, please contact the CPD coordinator at the phone or email listed below.
CPSM CPD Coordinator:
204-560-4193
standards@cpsm.mb.ca