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  • CME vs CPD Explained: Know the Difference for Medical Pros

    CME vs CPD Explained: Know the Difference for Medical Pros

    CME (Continuing Medical Education) and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) are both important in maintaining a medical professional’s knowledge and skills. For medical practitioners, doing regular CME and CPD ensures that they can provide high-quality services for their patients and support their team well. CME highlights clinical knowledge and skills that are directly related to patient treatment. On the other hand, CPD covers a wider scope of skills. These include leadership, communication, and safety that fit within the guidelines of good medical practice.

    For medical professionals used to just doing CME outside of Australia. Understanding CPD can be a bit complicated at first. But don’t stress I am here to help you with my extensive experience on this topic on CME vs CPD.

    CME (Continuing Medical Education) and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) are essential lifelong learning practices for doctors post-training, aimed at keeping them updated in their fields. While CME primarily focuses on enhancing clinical skills and medical knowledge, CPD encompasses a broader range of competencies, including CME, but also other areas such as management, social, and personal skills. CPD integrates CME activities and emphasizes all facets of good medical practice, such as safety, quality, and communication. Both CME and CPD are crucial for maintaining doctors’ competence and ethical responsibility, ultimately improving patient care and benefiting the medical community.

    What’s the Difference: CME vs CPD?

    Definition of CME (Continuing Medical Education)

    Continuing Medical Education (CME) focuses purely on educational activities. These activities are designed to enhance the clinical skills and medical knowledge of healthcare professionals. CME programs focus on developing technical skills and expanding knowledge in specific medical fields. These include new treatment methods, diagnostic advancements, and updates on procedures. In many countries, healthcare professionals are required to earn CME credits every year or every two years. This allows them to keep their medical licenses, highlighting how important it is for professional responsibility.

    Definition of CPD (Continuing Professional Development)

    Continuing Professional Development (CPD) covers more than just Continuing Medical Education (CME). CPD also targets the overall improvement of doctors, not just their clinical skills. CPD involves many activities that boost different skills. This includes so called “soft skills” like communication and empathy, as well as technical and management skills. CPD helps improve both clinical and non-clinical skills to better handle complex healthcare situations by promoting balanced professional development for doctors and other healthcare professionals.

    CPD includes CME within its scope, while also focusing on personal, management, and ethical growth. Examples of CPD activities are participating in leadership seminars, ethics training, teaching, developing student assessments, conducting audits and quality improvement workshops. These are all designed to help doctors provide holistic, patient-centred care. Although the requirements for CPD can be widely different for every country and specialty, they generally promote ongoing professional development for doctors and other healthcare professionals.

    CME vs CPD: Core Differences

    CME and CPD both play supportive roles in the continuous learning of health professionals. CME is mainly focused on clinical skills. It is often required for licence renewal or registration in some countries. It covers areas like surgical methods, updates in pharmacology, and new diagnostic techniques. CPD, however, has a wider scope. It includes clinical skills but also covers soft skills, ethics, and quality improvement. It provides a well-rounded approach to professional growth.

    Essentially, CME is an important part of the larger CPD umbrella. So it doesn’t have to be a choice between CME vs CPD. You can do both by ensuring a broad approach to CPD!.

    While CME is known for its clinical focus, CPD offers a more extensive skill set. This will help healthcare workers develop their interpersonal and management skills which are very important for providing patient care and performing organisational duties.

    CME vs CPD in Practice

    CME and CPD have different formats and focuses. CME activities feature specialised training, like medical conferences, workshops, and webinars about new developments in medicine. For example, a CME event could offer practical training on new surgical methods or updates on managing diseases. These activities help healthcare workers remain skilled in the latest medical practices and comply with regulatory standards for their field.

    CPD activities in medicine cover a wider range of topics. They can involve leadership training, medical ethics classes, or workshops on how to communicate with patients. For example, a CPD activity might be a course on managing teams to help doctors work more effectively with various specialists. Or it could be a session focused on showing empathy during interactions with patients. This wider focus allows healthcare professionals to expand their knowledge beyond clinical skills. It helps them develop skills that are necessary to progress in their careers and handle different challenges in the present healthcare environment.

    Why Do Both CME vs CPD Matter for Physicians?

    CME and CPD are both essential for a doctor’s career growth, each playing unique but supportive roles. CME is about keeping clinical skills sharp. It helps doctors stay updated on new medical knowledge and techniques needed to provide safe and effective care for patients. 

    By participating in CME activities, doctors can enhance their skills and fulfil the requirements of registration organisations, which also helps secure their career stability. In contrast, CPD offers a wider scope of professional development for doctors and healthcare professionals, which also focuses on the non-clinical skills that contribute to the overall growth of doctors. CPD highlights the importance of leadership, communication, and ethical decision-making which are vital in taking on roles beyond just direct patient care. These skills are increasingly important in complex healthcare situations that require flexibility, teamwork, and strong management.

    Together, CME and CPD help doctors manage their clinical duties while pursuing long-term career goals. These prepare them to succeed in both patient care and leadership roles in healthcare.

    How to Balance CPD vs CME for Comprehensive Growth?

    Finding a balance between CPD vs CME helps healthcare professionals develop in all areas, improving both their clinical and professional skills. By combining these two, doctors can better meet the present challenges and demands in the medical field.

    By mixing CME activities like clinical workshops or medical conferences with CPD courses in leadership, ethics, and communication, they can build a more complete skill set that covers both technical and interpersonal skills. For a practical approach, doctors should focus on these activities according to their current job roles and career goals.

    Here are some examples:

    Newly Practising Specialists: Early-career specialists may focus on CME activities like advanced clinical training and procedure workshops to improve their medical skills. They may also take part in CPD courses on time management and patient communication to boost their efficiency and bedside manner.

    Experienced Surgeons: Senior surgeons can benefit from CME which covers the latest surgical techniques and advancements in their specialty to keep their skills updated. Combining this with CPD focused on mentorship or teaching skills enables them to effectively train junior doctors, which greatly helps the growth of their team.

    General Practitioners: Primary care doctors require a wide range of medical knowledge, making CME on common conditions and treatments essential. To enhance patient relationships, they can complement CME with CPD workshops about cultural competence or mental health communication. These can help them better serve diverse patients.

    Telemedicine Practitioners: Physicians specialising in telemedicine may pursue CME that tackles new digital tools and virtual care protocols. At the same time, CPD in digital communication and technology ethics can help them engage effectively with patients online and maintain their trust in a virtual environment.

    Setting specific annual goals, such as meeting CME hour requirements alongside important CPD activities in medicine, can ensure balanced development in both areas. This approach not only helps them meet licensing and certification needs. It also prepares healthcare professionals for the challenges and roles in healthcare and to become successful in their fields.

    How to Meet the Medical Board CPD Registration Standard?

    Starting in 2024, all registered medical practitioners in Australia must follow the new CPD Registration Standard set by the Medical Board of Australia. Here’s how you can meet these updated requirements:

    Main Requirements for CPD Compliance in 2024

    To meet the 2024 CPD Registration Standard, practitioners need to:

    • Join an accredited CPD Home: This offers a centralized program to track and manage CPD activities in medicine.
    • Complete 50 CPD hours each year, which includes:
      • 25 hours from a combined mix of performance review and outcome measurement activities, with a minimum of 5 hours in each
      • 12.5 hours for learning or educational activities
      • 12.5 hours of “free choice” activities from the above categories
    • Create a Professional Development Plan (PDP): This plan should outline the goals and planned CPD activities that will help practitioners align their growth with their career goals.
    • Keep Records: Doctors must keep their CPD activities documented for three years to prove compliance during audits.

    Are their any exemptions to CPD and CPD Home requirements?

    Prevocational Training Doctors (i.e. Interns and PGY2 RMOs) in Prevocational training programs and Specialty Trainee doctors in College training programs are assumed to be meeting their CPD program requirements by virtue of being in accredited training. Other than that there are very few exemptions available and most doctors do need to comply.

    Tips for Efficiently Fulfilling Annual CPD Hours

    Managing the 50-hour CPD requirement can be easier with good planning. Here are some tips on how you can do it:

    • Leverage Your CPD Home: Many CPD Homes provide flexible learning options, such as on-demand webinars and scheduled workshops, which you can complete at your convenience.
    • Monitor Your Progress: Use tracking tools from CPD Homes or apps to keep an eye on your completed hours and upcoming activities.
    • Prepare for Year-End Deadlines: This year you need to finish your CPD hours by December 31, 2024, but you can document activities until February 28, 2025. Focus on activities that meet both mandatory and personal development needs for smooth compliance.


    Meeting the 2024 CPD standards is crucial for keeping your professional credentials, advancing your career, and following the updated Medical Board requirements.

    What are the Types of CPD Activities You Can Join?

    CPD (Continuing Professional Development) activities include different ways of learning that support the various skills needed in today’s healthcare. These activities are grouped into specific types, helping healthcare workers to develop in areas like clinical skills, quality improvement, and self-reflection. Here are the main types of CPD activities in medicine along with examples for each.

    Educational Activities

    Learning activities aim to enhance a professional’s knowledge and skills. These are usually held in structured environments and focus on specific abilities. Some examples are:

    • Workshops: Practical training sessions on clinical techniques or new technologies.
    • Conferences and Seminars: Events where professionals discuss the latest medical research and advancements.
    • Online Courses and Webinars: Flexible courses available on-demand that cover a range of medical subjects, allowing for self-paced study.
    • Case Discussions: Group discussions about real patient cases to examine diagnosis and treatment methods.
    • Lectures and Podcasts: Audio or video talks on specialised subjects, including patient care and medical ethics.
    • Journal Clubs: Meetings where participants review and discuss recent articles. These help enhance research skills and critical thinking.
    • Simulations: Role-playing or practice exercises to work through clinical situations in a controlled setting.
    • Short Courses and Certification Programs: Focused courses that provide certification in specific areas, like Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Basic Life Support (BLS).

    Reviewing Performance Activities

    Reviewing performance is about ensuring that your practice is up to date and remains similar to other like colleagues. Some examples of reviewing performance activities include:

    • Peer Review: Collaborating with colleagues to evaluate and provide feedback on each other’s clinical performance.
    • Case Reviews: Analyzing patient cases to identify areas for improvement and discuss best practices.
    • Audit and Feedback: Assessing medical records and providing constructive feedback to enhance clinical outcomes.
    • Quality Improvement Projects: Participating in initiatives to enhance healthcare quality and patient safety.
    • Clinical Guidelines Review: Staying updated with current clinical guidelines and incorporating them into practice.

    Measuring Outcomes

    Activities that are focused on measuring outcomes aim to understand how healthcare practices affect patient results. These data-driven efforts seek to enhance clinical effectiveness by comparing current practices to the established standard. Here are some examples:

    • Mini Audits: These are small evaluations of clinical practices to check their adherence to guidelines.
    • Clinical Audits: These are detailed reviews of patient care outcomes and processes over a set period.
    • Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycles: These are repeated testing and improvement of processes that aim to enhance care.
    • Research and Data Analysis: Conducting clinical research to support evidence-based practices which could lead to better patient outcomes.
    • Practice Accreditation Programs: These are programs that evaluate and certify clinics or practices based on quality standards.
    • Patient Outcome Tracking: This is a continuous monitoring of patient outcomes following interventions, allowing for ongoing adjustments to care plans.

    Hybrid Activities

    Hybrid activities combine educational learning, performance evaluation, and outcome assessment. These activities create a comprehensive approach to continuing professional development (CPD). Hybrid activities are diverse, providing professionals with a well-rounded growth experience. Below are some examples:

    • Workshops with Practical Assessments: These are sessions that combine educational lectures with hands-on performance evaluations, such as skills stations or practical exams.
    • Peer Group Learning with Feedback: These are collaborative sessions where participants share their educational insights and provide feedback to one another.
    • Supervision and Mentoring: These activities are focused on guiding less experienced colleagues or overseeing peers. It emphasizes reflective feedback and improvement based on data.
    • Clinical Research with Outcome Tracking: These are research initiatives that measure performance and analyse data to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

    By participating in a mix of educational, reflective, and evaluative CPD activities, medical professionals can achieve the standards that are necessary for their professional development and effective practice.

    What Are Specialist High-Level CPD Requirements?

    Specialist high-level CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirements are specific activities that specialists need to include in their yearly CPD plans. These requirements set by the Medical Board of Australia, help specialists maintain the high practice standards in their field. 

    They consist of various educational activities, performance evaluations, and outcome assessments. The specialists are responsible for meeting these requirements, and each CPD program must offer choices that match these standards.

    High-Level CPD Requirements by Specialty

    Each medical specialty has specific continuing professional development (CPD) activities that meet its unique needs. Here are some examples of high-level requirements:

    Anaesthesia: Anaesthesia specialists need to complete at least one emergency response activity each year. They can choose from options like patient surveys, peer reviews, or clinical audits to assess their clinical work.

    Emergency Medicine: Physicians in emergency medicine must perform three essential procedural skills annually, focusing on airway, breathing, and circulation to keep their critical response skills sharp.

    Radiology: Radiologists are required to undergo anaphylaxis training as part of their life support training every three years to make sure that they are ready for allergic reactions in clinical situations.

    Pain Medicine: Pain medicine specialists must participate in annual emergency response training and can select reflective practices such as multi-source feedback or clinical audits to improve patient care.

    These requirements are developed in partnership with AMC-accredited specialist medical colleges to ensure they align with the expected training outcomes for specialist registration.

    Meeting Compliance Through CPD Homes

    CPD Homes are essential in Australia’s healthcare system. They help doctors learn in a structured way by keeping them informed about new developments and maintaining professional standards. These accredited organisations, governed by the Australian Medical Council (AMC), provide tailored Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs that meet the changing needs of medical professionals. 

    By providing these programs, CPD homes help doctors meet the Medical Board’s requirements and provide support through comprehensive auditing, reporting, and focused educational resources. They also help with registration and support medical professionals in their careers. Plus, they enhance the quality of service by promoting skill development that aligns with the standards in patient care.

    Understanding Your Options for CPD Homes

    The Australian Medical Council (AMC) approves 21 CPD homes for doctors to select from.

    Basically there is a choice between Specialist Medical Colleges, who are established member organisations who have been running CPD programs for their members (Fellows) for years and Non-college homes who are relatively new organisations offering an alternative to doctors who may not fit neatly into a college CPD home or who wish to seek an alternative to a college CPD home.

    Specialist Medical Colleges

    These colleges provide structured CPD programs tailored to the advanced training and educational needs of specialists. By participating in the accredited CPD programs offered by their respective colleges, specialist trainees can ensure they meet the Medical Board of Australia’s CPD standards without needing additional CPD home registration. This arrangement facilitates a streamlined approach for trainees to maintain compliance and focus on specialty-specific competencies within their fields.

    Non-college Homes

    Non-College CPD Homes are recognized organisations that tend to offer a broad selection of CPD services to members. Members are generally those who are not linked to specific medical colleges or prefer independent choices. These homes generally provide doctors with convenient support for tracking and documenting CPD, as well as normally some learning content that focuses on general skills and competencies. 

    All CPD homes are required to to ensure that doctors over essential topics such as culturally safe practices, health equity, professionalism, and ethical conduct. They must also show how these topics are integrated into their programs.

    Examples of CPD Programs from Australian and New Zealand Medical Colleges

    Many medical colleges in Australia and New Zealand provide various Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs designed for healthcare professionals in different specialties. Here are a few examples:

    Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP): The CPD program at RANZCP includes activities like reviewing clinical cases, gathering feedback from multiple sources, and evaluating professional practices. Psychiatrists are required to complete certain tasks every year. These involve a set number of hours in different CPD areas, such as peer review (reviewing performance) and measuring outcomes.

    Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS): RACS has a CPD program that requires participation in the Australia and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM). This program includes peer-reviewed evaluations and documentation of surgical cases. It helps surgeons assess patient outcomes and improve their surgical techniques.

    Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP): The CPD requirements for general practitioners at RACGP include training in CPR, engaging in quality improvement activities, and collecting feedback from patients. General practitioners can also join webinars and workshops organized by RACGP. This will help them earn their CPD hours while focusing on essential skills in patient care and communication.

    CPD Australia: Is an example of the new type of CPD Homes. It was developed by 2 Registrars Hamish and Tristan to give trainee doctors who need a CPD Home and easy and affordable option.

    Who Qualifies for CPD Exemptions or Variations?

    There are actually very few exemptions from doing CPD.

    Doctors can apply for exemptions or changes for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through their CPD home, usually in special situations.

    These exemptions are for doctors who are away from work for six to twelve months because of things like parental leave, taking care of someone, or serious health issues. Also, doctors who have non-practising registration, limited registration for teaching or research for a short time.

    Prevocational and specialist trainees and international medical graduates with limited registration completing specialist pathway requirements are assumed to meet CPD requirements if they are taking part in accredited programs from specialist medical colleges, which helps them focus on their training or assessment.

    Related Questions

    Do CPD Requirements Vary by Specialty?

    Yes, the requirements for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) do change depending on the medical specialty to meet the specific needs of each field. In Australia, the Medical Board of Australia establishes CPD guidelines that are customised for different specialties, making sure that specialists keep up with the skills and knowledge necessary for their work.

    For instance, anaesthetists are required to take part in emergency response training every year and participate in peer reviews or clinical audits. On the other hand, emergency medicine specialists need to focus on essential skills related to airway, breathing, and circulation. Each specialty also has its own educational and performance review requirements created by recognized medical colleges to ensure that training stays relevant.

    Are CPD Requirements Different for Part-Time Medical Professionals?

    Part-time medical professionals in Australia have to complete the same number of annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as full-time doctors, which is 50 hours each year. The Medical Board of Australia has a CPD Registration Standard that requires all doctors to meet this 50-hour goal to keep their registration active, no matter how many hours they work. This rule helps ensure that all doctors, whether they work full-time or part-time, stay updated on their clinical skills and knowledge.

    Besides part-time doctors, new doctors, overseas doctors, and even senior or retired doctors must also meet these CPD standards to keep their registration. New doctors need to complete CPD hours as they progress in their careers to stay in line with what is expected of them. For overseas doctors working in Australia, fulfilling CPD requirements is essential for keeping their registration active. Likewise, senior doctors who are still practising or retired doctors who want to keep their registration must continue to complete their CPD hours every year. These rules give high importance on ongoing learning for all medical professionals in Australia throughout their careers.

    What Types of CPD Activities Are Best for Early-Career Doctors?

    For doctors just starting, continuing professional development (CPD) activities that strengthen basic clinical skills and teach non-clinical abilities are helpful. Some important CPD activities are:

    • Clinical Workshops and Simulation Training: These hands-on sessions help build confidence in performing procedures and making diagnoses, giving practical experience in real-life situations while keeping things safe.
    • Communication and Patient Interaction Workshops: These activities focus on how to talk to patients better, which helps improve bedside manner and empathy—both super important for new doctors.
    • Peer Group Learning and Mentorship: Learning from more experienced doctors through organized peer reviews and mentorship provides early-career doctors with useful insights and practical tips.
    • Professional Development Seminars: These sessions cover topics like time management, ethics, and teamwork, which are crucial for career growth and adaptability.

    All these activities help new doctors develop important skills, enhancing both their clinical abilities and professional knowledge for a successful career in medicine.

    Are There Exceptions to the CPD Requirement?

    Yes, there are some limited exemptions. Some doctors don’t have to follow the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirement. This includes medical students, doctors who are registered but not practising, and those with short-term limited registration for less than four weeks.

    Doctors can also apply for exemptions from CPD organisations, usually because of reasons such as being sick or taking parental leave, don’t need to meet the CPD standards. Interns and PGY2 doctors in special training programs that lead to a completion certificate also meet their professional development needs through these programs, so they don’t have to worry about extra CPD requirements.

    How Do I Join a CPD Home?

    To become a member of a CPD home, start by finding accredited CPD providers that match your career or specialty needs. You can look into professional medical colleges or non-college CPD homes since both have accredited programs. After that, check with your medical board or the appropriate CPD authority to get a list of approved CPD homes. 

    Once you pick a CPD home, you can sign up through the provider’s official website or reach out to their support team for help with enrollment. After you join, your CPD home will assist you in creating a professional development plan and show you how to access the CPD resources available, making sure you meet all licensing and specialty requirements.

  • Pursuing Board Roles for Doctors: Essential Tips

    Pursuing Board Roles for Doctors: Essential Tips

    Board Roles for Doctors

    If you are a doctor considering whether a board role might be for you, or are already looking for your first board position then, you likely have some questions. Perhaps you are unsure that your experience would be valued by boards, or think that without existing board experience you would not be a strong candidate, or you don’t know which companies would value you, or you just don’t know where to begin. Whatever your thoughts I am sure that you have begun to wonder HOW that transition to becoming a Non-Executive Director (NED) might take place. If some of that rings true, let me reassure you that I know from my 20+ years of experience of putting people on Boards that most doctors have lots to offer suitable Boards. 

    Why should doctors consider a board appointment?

    If you haven’t considered a NED appointment, you should.

    As a doctor there are many reasons you should consider a board appointment and for it to be part of a longer term career plan. Whilst doctors generally command higher degrees of job security and portability, we are typically seeing more and more doctors in Australia become dissatisfied with the traditional clinical career paths and health roles. Board roles for doctors can be a great way to add back in some variety and passion to your career. A board appointment can also help future proof your career, prepare for and stay relevant in retirement, support redundancy or a career change, offer the opportunity to ‘give back’, increase your ‘strategic’ expertise, diversify your network and can also offer a career in its own right (that pathway out of clinical medicine you may be craving). 

    Perhaps the benefits of board roles for doctors were best summed up in a general study from Harvard Business Review that found that serving on a board increases a professional’s likelihood of being promoted by 44% and even if they weren’t promoted their annual pay increased by 13%. Further studies have also shown that those who hold a NED appointment in addition to an executive role: have greater job security and are unemployed less, and transition between jobs more easily. 

    So the question is not ‘Should a board position be part of your career as a doctor? or ‘Is board appointment worth the effort?’ Rather, the questions you should want the answers to are ‘How do I find board opportunities as a doctor?’, ‘How do I determine the right board opportunities for me?’ and ‘How do I get appointed?’ 

    Do doctors make good board members?

    You bet. According to the Australian Institute of Company Directors AICD good NEDs have the following qualities:

    1. Good judgement
    2. Communication skills
    3. Active contributor
    4. Confidence
    5. Integrity and honesty
    6. Intellectual curiosity
    7. Discipline
    8. Genuine interest

    Compare these traits against a recent study which found that good doctors have the following qualities 

    1. are good communicators (tick)
    2. are organised and conscientious (tick)
    3. are empathetic (tick)
    4. are curious (tick)
    5. are collaborative (tick)
    6. are persistent (tick)
    7. have great bedside manner (tick)

    Compare these traits against the internationally recognised CanMEDS Framework that identify the following key roles for good doctors:

    1. Medical Expert
    2. Communicator
    3. Collaborator
    4. Professional
    5. Scholar
    6. Health Advocate
    7. Leader

     Enough said… the similarities between good doctors and good NEDs is obvious.

    Which organisation’s board vacancy is right for you?

    Medicine offers great skills. You have specialised fields on which your value is indispensable to potential employers. Be it at hospitals, clinics, private companies, teaching or research. So, my advice is to pick a business field where your particular medical knowledge gives you an advantage. This could be pharmaceuticals or aged care or medical technology. Whatever the area you want to be able to bring real knowledge as a practitioner to the field.

    But you don’t have to limit yourself to traditional healthcare organisations either. The premise that all doctors are similar is wrong. I have found there to be a massive diversity in the skill sets of doctors. Doctors can and do run companies, and do things that business people do in addition to their clinical skill sets. Further, doctors do have other interests or experience. It is too narrow to just limit yourself and your opportunities to just the medical sectors. 

    Ask yourself the following questions: What are you passionate about? What organisation can you meaningfully contribute to? Do you need to be paid? Who is going to value your connections? What is your value at board level? Answering these questions will help you to begin to narrow your focus. In turn, you will be better able to target specific organisations with a strong value proposition. This is going to make you more appointable and mean that you get a greater return on your time investment.

    How do you find a board roles for doctors in Australia?

    If you want a board appointment you need to focus your time on doing the things that will get you a return on the investment of your valuable time.

    Whether you are a doctor, lawyer, accountant, HR, IT or marketing professional or something entirely different, finding and gaining your first non-executive role is a task few are qualified for and is akin to acquiring your first job. But it does happen – time and time again – though it is often linked to the amount of effort you put in and preparing accordingly. It is also linked to doing things that work and avoiding things that do not. 

    The simplest thing you can do is often be as simple as just telling people that you are looking for a board role! So, just start by doing that. By just mentioning that you are considering board roles for doctors you might be surprised by the result. However, once you start telling people you then need to also be ready to be asked a couple of questions in return. 1. Which organisation would you like to be on the board of/are you targeting? And 2. Why do you want to be a NED? You need answers to both of these questions, otherwise you will not be taken seriously and will waste opportunities.

    Whilst just telling people you would like a board role is a great start, if you are serious about gaining a board appointment you need to consider doing more. That means understanding the board appointment framework and putting together a simple, easy to implement and sustainable plan. At Board Direction, we consider there to be three ‘Core Pillars’ of a board appointment – they are the framework of your plan.

    1. Aspiration: Firstly you need a list of organisations that you believe you could and would like to be appointed to the board of – we like a list of 12
    2. Articulation: You need a Board CV and a verbal pitch that articulates your value at board level – language that avoids referencing your motivations but rather addresses the motivations of a decision maker.
    3. Application: Applying the knowledge of what your targets are and pitch is. Most people think that means working with recruiters or responding to advertised board opportunities. However, less than 20% of all board appointments are made this way. Instead, 80% of all appointments come through informal application processes – strong ties, weak ties and direct approaches

    Other than my medical expertise, what skills are Boards looking for in Directors?

    Again. This will vary from organisation to organisation. But if you are thinking of extending your professional development into non-traditional areas there are some skill areas and experience you may want to invest in based on what we see regularly advertised. These include:

    1. Prior Governance Experience

    Obviously, if you have board-level experience, you should lead with it. But what if you don’t have prior Board experience? Consider investing in some governance training and experience. Many directors often find their way to a Board appointment through committee work. So one obvious thing you can probably do now to improve your director skill set is volunteer for committee work in your hospital or health service or College etcetera…

    2. An Executive Skill Set

    At board level, what do you do? What is your value at board level? And why is what you do more valuable than one of your competitors with similar skills? What is your value at board level? 

    People often think finance, audit & risk and legal skills are the most valuable and most often requested at board level. However, whilst still high (good news for the lawyers and accountants reading this article), the desirability of these skills is actually decreasing, and far broader skills are in demand. 

    You can think about your value in two ways: Firstly, by considering the ROI for an organisation if they were to appoint you to their board – what would you deliver them? Secondly, consider what they would lose by not appointing someone with your skillset to the board – what risks are they potentially exposed to, and what is the cost of those risks that you and your skillset can mitigate?

    3. Industry Experience and Connections

    For some organisations, many in fact, this is often the most important thing you can offer. Therefore, it is important for you to be able to evidence how your industry experience and connections will benefit the organisation for which you wish to sit on the board. 

    The introductions you provide, the brand that you bring, or the knowledge you offer that can be leveraged to expedite business growth and lead to new opportunities. These relationships can also deal with difficult situations or provide access to knowledge not otherwise available to the organisation’s executive team.

    4. Demonstrable Passion

    You must always remember that passion is the key to being able to serve on a board effectively, but so is your appointability. Board members are passionate. They are often passionate about three things: What the organisation does, What the organisation is, and How they can contribute.

    5. Cultural Fit

    For me, this is the big one, but cultural fit is difficult to define. 

    What cultural fit means for a Chair is that you are not going to risk their reputation, the board’s and that of the organisation if they were to appoint you. So, demonstrating cultural fit is ultimately about de-risking your appointment because if Chairs…

    • don’t like you,
    • don’t feel their board or stakeholders or shareholders will like you,
    • feel like you won’t work effectively with the executive team,
    • feel you won’t attend extra-professional activities with other board members,
    • feel you are going to be too quiet or loud or in any way going to cause them a headache.

    … they simply won’t appoint you. 

    Overall, continuing to broadly invest in your professional development and expanding your skill set as a doctor can help you become a more effective and valuable board member in the healthcare industry and more widely. Consider seeking out opportunities for learning and growth in these key areas to enhance your contribution to the organisations you serve.

    Gaining a Board appointment as a doctor can be simpler and quicker than you might imagine

    Over 90% of the people I work with are professionals who also want a board appointment. Whilst some do have an existing portfolio of executive and non-executive roles, most others are looking for their first appointment or some want to ‘step up’ into a more significant (often paid) board appointment. Regardless, they all face similar challenges on their road to get a seat in a boardroom and need to follow the same three step process to make it happen – including any Doctor who wishes to gain a board appointment! If you’d like some advice do contact us for a confidential consultation to see if and how we can help.

    Until then, just telling people of your board aspirations requires no fancy memberships, and no expense; it is also super simple to implement, and you may be astounded by how effective it can be.

    If you would like to get in contact with the Author of this article, David Schwarz you can head over to the Board Direction website.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Board Roles for Doctors

    Question. What’s the best way to find potential Board appointments?

    You will see Boards advertise on traditional jobs boards like Seek, but there are several other places that you will see Board appointments promoted. These include LinkedIn as well as specific Board appointment site listings.

    Advertised board opportunities often attract hundreds of candidates so whilst it is possible to get appointed this way it is unlikely. Instead, most directors find their way on to Board via a personal connections, through those they already know but more likely through people they see rarely or infrequently – they are called ‘weak ties’.  

    Question. Do you need any governance training?

    Formal governance training is not required to take up a board appointment.

    However, I often find that doctors, when considering a board appointment, underestimate the risks. There’s a decent amount that can go wrong on a board. And doctors are not immune to these risks just by virtue of being intelligent.

    So, whilst a governance qualification may not directly help you to gain a board appointment (that is what Board Direction [https://link.advancemed.com.au/boarddirection] do) it might be worth considering some further training.
    Many doctors do choose to do this training and it may even be something that is covered by your professional development leave and fund if you are a salaried doctor.

    Question. What are the eligibility requirements for becoming a director?

    Eligibility requirements vary according to the organisation and the Board you are considering.

    According to the AICD there are only 3 mandatory requirements for becoming a company director Section 201B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Commonwealth) provides that a director must:
    – Be an individual, not a body corporate
    – Be at least 18 years of age
    – Not be disqualified from managing corporations under Part 2D.6. If they have been disqualified, the appointment must be made with permission granted by ASIC under s 206F or leave granted by the Court under s 206G

    These requirements only legally extend to registered companies. But there are similar eligibility requirements for Not For Profit organisations.
    Many organisations will also require mandatory checks of your criminal history. Most care organisations will require a working with children check, as well as possibly aged care worker or NDIS worker checks.

    Question. Are Boards specifically looking for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors?

    Question. Are Boards specifically looking for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors?
    Yes. If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and a medical practitioner you are definitely going to be in demand as many Boards are seeking to address diversity and inclusivity challenges by adding Indigenous leadership onto their Boards.

    Question. I heard Boards are most often looking for females.

    Yes and no. There has been a big push for gender diversity (and diversity more widely) on boards in recent times. The last statistics we saw on this saw 48% of recent appointments made were female with the remaining 52% being male.

    Question. I have heard that LinkedIn is useful for doctors wanting to expand in to Board careers. Is this true?

    Yes. It is true that a LinkedIn profile can be helpful in obtaining a Board appointment. Many directors find out about Board opportunities via LinkedIn.

    Question. Is there a way I can get some professional help in developing my Board career?

    Yes. If you are interested in some professional coaching and advice to secure your first/next Board appointment then we suggest you sign up for our webinar.