The decision to invest your precious time and / or money in professional development is an important one. These are two resources that are difficult to get back once used. As occupational therapists, the AHPRA requirements state that we need to complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development throughout the registration cycle. Making a decision as to what activities you complete can be overwhelming. I hear you asking yourself;
“Is this going to be relevant?”
“Is it going to be worth it?”
Below are 10 questions you could ask yourself before you say yes to the next bright, shiny workshop or webinar or conference.
- Is this relevant to my current learning needs?
- Is this relevant to my future career aspirations?
- What is my learning goal for this activity?
- What resources do I need?
- What support is available?
- What costs are involved?
- How will I implement my new knowledge or skills?
- Are there any barriers to implementing my new knowledge or skills?
- How will I feel once this has been completed?
- What evidence can I collect for my learning portfolio?
BONUS QUESTIONS
- Who can I share my new knowledge or skills with?
- How can I share my new knowledge or skills?
So, with the answers laid out in front of you, the final decision is to choose between WHERE DO I SIGN? or NOT RIGHT NOW.
There will always be more learning opportunities available so avoid spending your time and money on activities that aren’t in alignment with your learning needs or career goals.
If you have found these questions to be helpful, join the OT Learning Network by clicking on the JOIN THE NETWORK button below. Within the network, you can find the template for these 10 questions as well as more resources to help you to become a master of your professional development including:
- An OT specific professional development directory.
- A platform to record and store all of your PD evidence.
- A community of like-minded peers who want to cheer you on to achieve your learning goals.
