Continuing professional development (CPD) is the educative means of updating, developing and enhancing the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work safely and effectively as a physician associate. All physician associates are currently required to fulfil CPD requirements to remain on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR) which is to be audited by the FPA in conjunction with the Royal College of Physicians using the CPD diary

The Faculty of Physician Associates requires documented evidence of members CPD as an essential component of the information needed to remain on the PAMVR. This evidence is required, under membership of the FPA, to be documented in the members' RCP CPD diary. All physician associates are currently required to complete 50 hours of CPD per year. Further information can be found in the CPD guidance for physician associates below. 

Please note: Updates and changes may be made to these standards from time to time. Physician associates on the MVR will be notified of these changes in reasonable time so that they are able to comply with the CPD requirements.

CPD Diary tips:

  • Double check that you have registered for the CPD Diary – once you receive confirmation of FPA membership, you will still need to register for the CPD Diary separately using the link in your welcome letter.
  • Make sure that you use the same email address to register for the CPD Diary as you have for your FPA membership.
  • If you know that you have more than one myRCP account (eg if you had one account for your student PA membership and set up another separate account for your PA membership) you must contact the FPA before attempting to register for the CPD diary. Failure to contact us will result in delays to your CPD Diary registration.
  • It is important to ensure that you undertake and record your CPD and reflections each CPD year, as this is a requirement for continued FPA membership. Please note that in line with the FPA CPD guidance, your CPD Diary may also be selected for review as part of our audit processes and failure to meet the CPD requirements may result in termination of your membership and removal from the register.

Recognition of FPA approved CPD as Type 1 CME for US trained PAs

The FPA has had a response from the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) regarding our long-standing request to them to recognise RCP-FPA approved CPD as Type 1 CME. The AAPA has explained that at the present time, the RCP’s EACCME/UEMS association does not work for type 1 CME and has recommended that US PAs working in the UK who wish to maintain NCCPA certification, obtain their CMEs via Medscape or AAPA Learning Central. As the professional body for PAs in the UK, we will keep conversation open with the AAPA on this in the hope that their position will change,making it easier for US PAs working in the UK to plan and record their CPD.

CPD Diary

The FPA requires all physician associates to be registered with and using the CPD Diary in order for them to remain on the PAMVR. 

Login to your CPD diary by visiting the website. If you are a physician associate member and do not currently have access to the CPD diary, please register online. You can use the diary to log and record your professional development - please view the CPD guidelines below.

CPD App

The RCP have launched the CPD app which app gives users (including PAs) the flexibility to record and reflect on their educational activities, wherever they are. 

Key features and benefits

  • add educational activities anywhere with the app’s offline capability
  • access over 5,000 approved activities which have been reviewed by our network of consultant physicians
  • voice transcribe development needs and reflections instantly
  • keep track of your CPD via the main summary screen and monitor your progress to achieving your annual credit requirements.

You can download the app from the App store or Google Play.

CPD App tutorials

How to add an approved activity

How to add a self-certified activity

How to view your credits and email reports

External category CPD event accreditation

The Accreditation from the faculty of physician associates for External Category CPD Events process has recently been reviewed and updated (January 2023). This document contains information on requirements, fees and the application process. Please read this guidance document in full before completing the External Category CPD Accreditation application form.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to  contact us .

Organising a CPD event takes some time and effort. This said, it is an extremely rewarding thing to do and useful to put on your CV. 

Events and live streaming

Look out for CPD accredited events on the  RCP website  - you can search for your local area and specialty. Also available are a number of RCP live-streamed events, which are available to view from the  RCP's Live Streaming page.  Members of the Faculty of Physician Associates and the RCP can access  the members-only archive , where one can access cutting-edge educational content from leading medical experts.