The NCPDC- National Continuing Professional Development Certificate has been introduced to the Sri Lankan doctors by the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) with the intention of maintaining the highest professional standards among doctors.
The CCPSL invites you to join the programme and to obtain the NCPDC which will help you to acquire both new knowledge or skills and personal development.

-  Given below is a guide to understand how to obtain NCPDC.

National CPD certificate

Who awards the CPD?
The National Centre for CPD in Medicine (NCCPDIM) awards the certificate.
It is a body currently functioning under the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA).
NCCPDIM is run by a Central CPD Committee (CCPD.COM) which comprises representatives from all recognized medical professional bodies in Sri Lanka.

Is it compulsory?
-  It is not compulsory and is not linked to the renewal of registration with the SLMC
-  It only indicates that you have engaged in regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities.
-  It is an essential part of accepted good professional practice

What benefit you will get from NCPDC?
Possessing a valid CPD certificate issued at the national level will give you recognition by professional bodies overseas and will help to obtain jobs or postgraduate training posts in foreign countries.
The NCPD certificate will help to protect you against litigation if your skills or knowledge is challenged in a court of law.


How do I get the NCPDC?
The route to obtain NCPDC for the members of CCPSL is the specialist route via the CCPSL.
Read the Information and Guidance book published by SLMA carefully. Refer SLMA link http://issuu.com/slmanews/docs/cpd_info/1 for further details of National CPD Certificate.
-  Apply for registration through CCPSL.
-  Engage in CPD activities worth 50 credit points in one year.
-  Submit your portfolio to CCPSL
.


Registration
-  A request letter to be sent online to the CCPSL email address under the title "Registration - NCPD programme"
-  Once your request is accepted, you will be given a registration number.

Engage in CPD activities
-  Start collecting your CPD points according to the credit point scheme Eg: Outcome 1, 2, 3 etc.
-  You are expected to score 50 points during the next 12 calendar months from the date of registration.
-  At least 50% should be from your specialized area.
-  It is best if you could collect from all five outcome categories as it gives a mixed bag of points. You are expected to cover at least 03 outcome categories.


Credit point scheme (Updated in 2018) annex 1
-  All CPD activities are categorized under five different objectives/outcomes.
-  Each CPD activity is entitled to a certain number of points and you are free to decide on it yourself according to guidelines.
-  You need to score fifty credit points in one year in order to obtain the National Continuing Professional Development Certificate (NCPDC).

Refer SLMA link http://issuu.com/slmanews/docs/cpd_info/1 for further details of National CPD Certificate and revised CPD point scheme in the CCPSL web site


Record keeping
-  You should keep your own record of your CPD activities.
-  Decide to which of the five outcome categories any CPD activity belongs to and allocate correct number of points yourself.
-  Use A4 size photocopies of the sample format given (SLMA guideline book personal learning log- annex 2) to record each CPD activity indicating the outcome category number at the top and CPD points claimed.
-  Use one copy for each CPD item you engage in.
-  Make your portfolio by binding such A4 copies when you finish collecting minimum of fifty points in one year.
-  Attach the summary (annex 3) as the first page of the portfolio
-  Submit your portfolio to the CPD committee, SLCH .


Portfolio
-  CPD portfolio is a collection of evidence of your CPD activities.
-  Physically it is a collection of A4 size sheets, each with a record of a CPD activity, bound together preferably in a ring binder.
-  Once you have scored 50 points within one year submit your portfolio to the CPD committee, -CCPSL with a covering letter.
-  The CPD Committee-CCPSL will go through it and send it to SLMA NCCPDIM, who will issue the NCCPD certificate to the college. CCPSL will in turn send it to you.
-  The registered members are expected to submit portfolios annually. Currently the NCCPDIM issues NCCPD certificate annually.

List of annexures
1. Credit point scheme (Updated in 2018) - annex 1
2. SLMA guideline book personal learning log- annex 2
3. The summary as the first page of the portfolio - annex 3