The past year has been one of engagement with our community and partners in continuing professional development (CPD). New and innovative methods of learning including the use of social media, web-based learning, live videoconferencing and simulation-based learning have allowed us to reach our community in different ways. We are tackling crucial issues including the opioid crisis and refugee health through our program offerings. Innovative research has allowed our faculty to apply scholarship to their work in CPD.

CPD has continued to play a leadership role in continuing health professional education. More than 400 programs and conferences were accredited in the 2015-2016 academic year. The 2016 Indigenous Health Conference, led by Dr. Anna Banerji, was highly successful in bringing together almost 700 health professionals, elders and students interested in health and reconciliation.

Innovation continued at CPD. The IDEAS Introductory Quality Improvement program, offered in collaboration with six Ontario university CPD offices, IDEAS (Improving & Driving Excellence Across Sectors), Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC), and the Health Quality Ontario and Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, ran for a second year. The CPD University Collaborative won the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons CPD Providers Innovation Award highlighting the ability of this partnership to build capacity for quality improvement across the province. CPD also developed a unique mentorship program for the new Office of Life Long Learning at the University of Alberta. The program leveraged CPD’s expertise in accreditation and has guided University of Alberta Office of Lifelong Learning through the process of establishing and managing a continuing education office. The success of these collaborations and partnerships highlight CPD’s core values of inclusiveness, social responsibility, innovation and inter-professionalism.

Change and growth will continue to be key themes for CPD over the next year. We have embarked on an ambitious strategic planning process that will help guide the future of U of T CPD. Our goal is to address emerging issues in CPD such as competency-based education, integration of quality improvement and CPD, workplace and team-based learning and engagement of our stakeholders, patients and families. I look forward to working with our faculty, staff and partners as we transform to meet the changing needs of continuing education. Your thoughts about CPD’s next steps are welcome. Please share @uoftcpd.

Suzan Schneeweiss MD, MEd, FRCPC