Why Podiatrists never stop training…
CPD or Continuing Professional Development is a big part of many professional careers. It is the process of keeping up to date with techniques, practices and research relating to a profession. We discuss the importance of CPD in podiatry and why podiatrists never stop training and make sure you receive the best care that we can offer…
If you are still practicing in the same way that you were 10 years ago, you are probably out of date…
This is something I was told during a Musculoskeletal Podiatry CPD event I attended a few years ago. The topic of discussion was foot orthoses (orthotics/insoles) and how to prescribe them, and we were discussing new techniques following the latest research.
There really is something in this statement. As professionals, we are part of a medical field that is constantly evolving with new research and new techniques being introduced frequently.
Our patients expect the highest standard of practice and to be treated with the latest evidence in mind, and as Podiatrists, we can be challenged by our regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to prove that we are taking the necessary efforts to keep up to date. This is one thing that may set Podiatrists apart from other practitioners who treat feet and is part of our privilege of being recognised and registered with the HCPC.
Podiatrists can keep up to date in lots of ways. Some examples are:
- Attending training courses, lectures, seminars or conferences
- Reading research, reports and publications
- Working with and shadowing peers and colleagues to review and discuss what they do and why
- Watching online courses, videos or training material
- Contributing to research or studies
- Completing postgraduate training courses or degrees
Podiatrists are normally very proud of the work they do to keep up to date and evidence based, so next time you see your podiatrist, why not ask them to tell you about CPD and what they have done, and if you need to find a Podiatrist, then search on our directory.
