A/Prof David Mitchell Northern Territory representative on CCPD

As a psychiatrist working in a busy and remote public mental health service, I have a range of experiences that augment my clinical practice including research, academic appointments, teaching, and consultancy appointments. 

From a practical viewpoint, I am keen to meet my CPD requirements, the standards required of me by APHRA, and to maintain my professional registration. I enjoy learning, contributing academically to my specialty, teaching, and mentoring registrars, GPs, and allied health professionals.

In addition to my conventional peer group, I started a Psychiatry in Cinema Film Club which studies and analyses films depicting psychiatry in popular culture. It is a great way to practice psychiatry skills in an enjoyable and interactive setting. It also helps teach registrars about formulation and expands their understanding of the social contexts related to psychiatry. I also have a peer meeting with psychiatrists interested in psychiatry relating to OH&S. These members all work with work-cover organisations, and it is a great forum for this expanding area of psychiatry.  We discuss emerging treatments and their effectiveness in a worker’s recovery, and how rehabilitation providers are integrating psychiatric care.

Being involved in research and service development, I can usually formalise my activities towards Section 3. This includes publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals, service evaluation, and audit reports. My tip, is if you are involved in any governance or quality activities or oversee the supervision of trainees, this can meet Section 3 hours. Supervision of scholarly projects for registrars can lead to being a co-author on peer-reviewed articles, collaboration with trainees on research and quality projects outside of their scholarly project can also meet section 3 hours and providing formal education programs targeting an area of need in a service (such as ECT upskilling).

There is a range of opportunities that allow you to obtain CPD hours whilst benefitting many others, including trainees. Volunteering as a College examiner is another option that gives back immensely.