GENERAL ADVICE – OCTOBER 2019

How Can We Share Knowledge?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is both vital for our performance and mandatory for our registration.

The basic principle is the acquisition of knowledge and the ability to use it wisely. We can read journals, undertake research, attend conferences, participate in workshops or engage in peer-reviewed activities.

All modalities have their place. From a personal perspective however, I find that a two-way exchange is the most valuable. It is all very well to sit in a conference room for six or seven hours per day for three days in a distant city. The dimmed lights, the monotonous tones of the speakers and the late night beforehand are all particularly soporific.

In a workshop environment however, and with relatively small numbers, the participants are more likely to remain awake, will have a higher degree of focus and can both receive and promulgate ideas of interest.

I recently attended a workshop at an inner-city hotel in Brisbane. It was run by one of the larger legal firms with a national footprint and there were three speakers. The topic was particularly interesting (the assessment of complex injuries in complex patients) and there was ample opportunity for two-way exchange over the delicious breakfast that was supplied.

Because it was a relatively early morning event, most brains were clear, a finite end point to the meeting was defined and circumlocuitous conversation was eliminated.

I learnt as much as I taught. I found it an extremely valuable 90 minutes. We should be doing it more often.