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For Professionals

for professionals

How to develop a professional development plan

The key steps in developing a professional development plan are:

  1. Assess
  2. Prioritise
  3. Find
  4. Record & reflect
  5. Review

Click on each step to find out more.

Click here to download a professional development plan template.

1. Assess

Consider your current knowledge, skills, interests and goals (both clinical and non-clinical):

  1. What are your professional and personal goals?
    Think about short-term (12 months) and long-term (5 years) goals.
  2. What are your current skills and strengths?
    Think about clinical and non-clinical areas
    Ask others for input - your supervisor, colleagues and mentor
    Consider the results of recent formal testing or appraisals.
  3. Where are the gaps in your skills and knowledge?
    Consider the required competencies/standards for your professional/regulatory body
    Consider the implications of cancer plans and frameworks in your state/area health service/network
    Review relevant professional development frameworks and pathways on the Cancer Learning site.

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2. Prioritise

Decide which areas for development to undertake first, taking account of your individual needs and goals as well as cancer plans and frameworks.

Where to find help

  1. Find a mentor or senior colleague who can provide you with advice and support
    A mentor can be a great source of advice and support. Click here for tips on finding a mentor.
  2. Contact your professional college or other professional body
    Many professional colleges and organisations have a professional development section. Click here for information about professional bodies.
  3. Identify local sources of information and support
    Seek guidance from within your organisation, health service or network. Click here for possible sources of information.

How to find a mentor

  • Think about what you need from a mentor - Advice? Support? Help forming networks?
  • List possible mentors - keep an open mind about who might be able to help
  • Ask the person to be your mentor - explain why you've asked them and what support or advice you would like
  • Be patient - and don't take it personally if someone turns you down.

Useful links

Sample resources

The Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS), funded under the Federal Government's Strengthening Cancer Care initiative, overseen by the Institute for Rural Clinical Services (IRCST), in collaboration with NSW Health, successfully implemented a mentoring project to provide rural and regional staff from Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) from a range of disciplines with the opportunity to gain skills, confidence and networks to provide quality cancer care in the rural setting through contact and a work place with experienced Mentors from metropolitan areas. A number of useful resources were developed, including and are available as appendices in the project's final report:

  • Appendix 1 - Mentoring Handbook
  • Appendix 2 - Schedule for Clinical Placement
  • Appendix 3 - Mentoring Journal
  • Appendix 4 - Reflective Practice tool
  • Appendix 5 - Mentoring Activity Record
  • Appendix 6 - Quarterly Update
  • Appendix 7 - Confidence Tool
  • Appendix 8 - Clinical Placement Assessment - Mentee
  • Appendix 9 - Clinical Placement Assessment - Mentor
  • Appendix 10 - Participant Survey - Mentor
  • Appendix 11 - Participant Survey - Mentee
  • Appendix 12 - NHS Sustainability Model - May 2007
  • Appendix 13 - NHS Sustainability Model - June 2008
  • Appendix 14 - Steering Committee Terms of Reference

Other sources of information


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3. Find

Identify potential professional development activities and resources that will meet your needs. Source resources and create your plan of action.

Tools and resources

  1. Download a sample professional development plan template.
  2. Review the Cancer Learning sample professional development pathways
    Sample professional development pathways will soon be available for nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and social workers. Others will be made available over the next 12 months - see left hand navigation panel for list of available pathways.
  3. Review the learning activities listed on the Cancer Learning website

What to consider

  1. Which activity is right for you?
    Think about the types of learning activities that would be best for you. Click here for possible learning activities to consider. Click here for tips on choosing learning activities.
  2. Financial and other support
    You may be eligible for financial support or other assistance to help you undertake the activity.
    Possible options include:
    • scholarships or grants from professional colleges or bodies
    • funding from jurisdictions
    • funding from other organisations and charities
    • protected time or study leave.

Ask your professional college or body for more information, contact your organisation's staff training and development section or talk to colleagues about what may be available for you.

Types of learning activities

A broad range of learning activities and resources are available and may include:

  • Online learning modules and courses
  • Face-to-face workshops
  • Printed or electronic self-directed learning materials
  • Conferences and seminars
  • Participation in professional interest groups (face-to-face or virtual)
  • Clinical placements
  • Participation in multidisciplinary teams
  • Mentoring programs
  • Opportunities for 'learning on the run'

How to choose a learning activity

  • Think about how you like to learn - On your own? In a group? Online? On the run?
  • Consider the content of the activity - How will it add to your current knowledge? How will it improve your professional development?
  • Determine the quality of the activity - Is it developed/run by a reputable organisation? Is it endorsed by a relevant body? Have colleagues undertaken the activity? Is it passive or interactive? Does it include audit and reflection activities?
  • Find out whether the activity has professional development points or credits associated with it.
  • Consider the time involved in the activity - Is it manageable within your current workload? Would you need to travel or take time off work to undertake the activity?
  • Consider the cost - Is there a cost associated with the activity?

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4. Record & reflect

Undertake activities, record your progress and reflect on your learning.

How to record and reflect on your learning activity

  1. Update your CV
    Keep your CV updated with details of courses and other learning activities undertaken.
  2. Keep a portfolio
    Think about maintaining a portfolio of activities undertaken and learning outcomes achieved. Click here for more information on how to keep a portfolio.
  3. Get it on record
    Make sure you list learning activities as part of your performance appraisal and review process.
  4. Meet requirements
    Find out what the requirements are for recording professional development activities from your employer and/or professional college or body
  5. Reflect on what you have learned
    Think about why you undertook the activity, whether it met your learning objectives, how you will apply the learning to your day-to-day practice and what additional gaps the learning activity has highlighted.

How to maintain a portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of evidence that demonstrates your skills, knowledge, attitudes and achievements.1 There are a range of approaches to portfolios. It has been suggested that at minimum they should:2

  • describe the activity
  • reflect on the experience
  • include a plan for how to implement learning outcomes in your practice.

Contents for a portfolio will depend on the stage of your education or career and the purpose of developing the portfolio. The format can vary from a compilation of documents in hard copy or on a computer to simple notebooks or diaries.3,4 There's no 'right' approach - the important thing is that the format is manageable for you and meets your needs. Possible contents may include:3,4

  • critical incidents or events with patients
  • a reflective journal or diary
  • routine clinical experiences
  • audits/project work
  • critical reviews of articles
  • management material
  • certificates relating to attendance at courses or skills obtained
  • details of conferences/workshops attended
  • presentations given
  • registration documents.

The EdCaN learning resources contain portfolio templates for nurses to utilise to record their CPD activity, and maybe adapted for use by other professions.

  1. Byrne M, Delarose T, King CA, Leske J, Sapnas KG, Schroeter K. Continued professional competence and portfolios. Journal of Trauma Nursing 2007;14(1):24-31.
  2. Joyce P. A framework for portfolio development in postgraduate nursing practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2005;14:456-463.
  3. Snadden D, Thomas M. The use of portfolio learning in medical education. Medical Teacher 1998;20(3):192-199.
  4. Thistlethwaite J. How to keep a portfolio. The Clinical Teacher 2006;3:118-123.

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5. Review

When to review your plan and develop a new one

  1. At points of change
    Review your plan when your roles and responsibilities change: if you are promoted or take on new responsibilities; if your job description changes; if you change manager or employer; if you move to a new location; if a new service or network is introduced.
  2. Professional body/employer requirements
    Consider the requirements specified by your professional college, body or employer for developing, implementing and reviewing personal development plans.