As we now approach the end of the Professional Competence Scheme year 2025 – 2026, we ask that you update your ePortfolio to ensure that your CPD activity is uploaded for the current year 1st May 2025 – 30th April 2026.   LOGIN to upload your CPD activity

For the PCS year ending 30th April 2026,  it is important that you LOGIN to upload your CPD activity on or before 30th April 2026.

Please note that the PCS requirements  for PCS Year 1st May 2025 – 30th April 2026 are as follows.

Engage in and record a minimum of 50 hours of CPD activity per year, made up as follows:

• Planning CPD – (complete your Professional Development Plan)  5 CPD credits
• Practice Review – minimum 10 CPD credits
• Work-based Learning – minimum 15 CPD credits
• Accredited Continuing Education – minimum 20 CPD credits
• Assign all eight Domains of Good Professional Practice at least once in every 3 years

Doctors will need to confirm that they have met / not met these requirements when completing their annual Medical Council retention of registration in May/June 2026.

Professional Development Plan (PDP)  - 5 cpd credits (Mandatory)

Completing a Professional Development Plan is now a mandatory requirement.  It helps you plan learning activities relevant to your scope and stage of practice.

• Creating a plan earns 5 cpd credits
• Additional credits may be claimed under Work-Based Learning if your plan is reviewed by a peer/colleague and you reflect on it at year-end.

The Practice Review Category -10 cpd credits

The former Clinical audit category has been expanded to include:

• Audit
• Quality Improvement Projects
• Practice Evaluation

A minimum of 10 credits (10 hours) is required in this category  

Click HERE for Guidelines.

Work Based Learning Category -15 cpd credits

This category now includes activities previously recorded under the Internal / Personal Learning and Research and Training category.  Examples include:

• Grand rounds
• Multi-disciplinary team meetings,
• Committee meetings,
• Personal reading or study,
• Research, Publications, Teaching, Examining

Accredited Continuing Education (CE) Category - 20 cpd credits

Accredited CE activity includes attendance at relevant educational events, conferences, courses and workshops at local, national and international level.  Continuing Education (CE) activity MUST be accredited in Ireland or in the State where it is delivered. 

Examples include: 

• Local, Regional, National, International accredited meetings,
• Conferences/Seminars/ Webinars/Presentations to scientific meetings.
• Courses / Workshops/
• Relevant academic qualification (Degree,Diploma course).

For further details please click HERE

Medical Council Information Booklet on new Framework

My PCS summary states I am Not On Target - please check the following:

Have you completed your Professional Development Plan (PDP) / Annual Plan - 5 cpd credits (Mandatory)

Completing a Professional Development Plan / Annual Plan is now a mandatory requirement.  It helps you plan learning activities relevant to your scope and stage of practice.

• Completing your plan earns 5 cpd credits automatically
• Additional credits may be claimed under Work-Based Learning if your plan is reviewed by a peer/colleague and you reflect on it at year-end.

If you have yet to complete your Plan for 1st May 2024 - 30th April 2025, please sign in now and complete your Plan.    Click HERE  for Guideline on How to complete your Professional Development Plan / Annual Plan

Have you uploaded your Practice Review  - A minimum of 10 cpd credits is required in this category

The former Clinical audit category has been expanded to include:

• Audit
• Quality Improvement Projects
• Practice Evaluation

A minimum of 10 credits (10 hours) is required in this category.   When uploading your activity to Practice Review category, make sure you have a minimum of 10 credits

Click HERE for Guidelines.

Have you uploaded your Work Based Learning Category - a minimum of 15 cpd credits required

This category now includes activities previously recorded under the Internal / Personal Learning and Research and Training category.  Examples include:

• Grand rounds
• Multi-disciplinary team meetings,
• Committee meetings,
• Personal reading or study,
• Research, Publications, Teaching, Examining

Have you uploaded all your Accredited Continuing Education (CE) Category - a minimum of 20 cpd credits required

Accredited CE activity includes attendance at relevant educational events, conferences, courses and workshops at local, national and international level.  Continuing Education (CE) activity MUST be accredited in Ireland or in the State where it is delivered. 

Examples include: 

• Local, Regional, National, International accredited meetings,
• Conferences/Seminars/ Webinars/Presentations to scientific meetings.
• Courses / Workshops/
• Relevant academic qualification (Degree,Diploma course).

For further details please click HERE

Medical Council Information Booklet on new Framework

Creating a Professional Development Plan (PDP) is now a mandatory requirement under the new Framework for Professional Competence.

Ideally the Plan should be completed at the beginning of each Professional Competence Scheme year as this encourages you to plan your activities during the year and to set out goals for your personal development. It can also be used to reflect on and monitor your progress during the year. The aim of creating a Professional Development Plan (PDP) is to document a process of self-analysis and set new and clearly definable educational goals for yourself in advance of the Professional Competence Scheme each year.

How to create your plan

• Sign in to the PCS Portal to begin your plan
• Click on the 'PCS plan' tile and complete your plan by identifying events, meetings, learning materials or discussion topics that will assist you in meeting your requirements. Your CPD activities must cover each of the eight domains of good professional practice at least once in a three-year period
• Once you have your plan created and submitted, you will receive 5 CPD credits
• If you send your plan to be reviewed by a colleague, both you and the reviewer will receive an additional CPD credit in the work-based learning category
• If you reflect on your plan at the end of the year, you will receive an additional CPD credit in the work-based learning category

To achieve the best results in professional performance, PDPs need to be prospective rather than retrospective.

PDPs should consider all the various roles that you fulfil in your job and the steps you need to take to update your knowledge, maintain your experience and improve your skills if necessary.

How To Create your Professional Development Plan

How to send your Professional Development Plan to be reviewed

If you are absent from practice for three months or more during the Professional Competence year which runs from 1st May 2025 - 30th April 2026, you should inform RCSI PCS department.  Examples of circumstances that may result in a shortfall in minimum requirements are:

• Maternity leave
• Certified sick leave
• Carer's leave
• Parental leave
• Bereavement leave
• Adoptive leave

Where possible, you should maintain some level of engagement in the maintenance of your professional competence while on leave.  

You should sign in to your PCS Portal. Scroll to the ‘make a request’ section on your dashboard and click on ‘confirm extended absence from work’. Here you can complete the online form.

If your absence has occurred for three months or more during the professional competence year (which runs from 1 May to 30 April), we will record the absence on your PCS portfolio and an annotation will be appear against the relevant year on your Statement of Participation.  You may be required by the Medical Council to produce documentation supporting your absence from practice if you are selected for a Maintenance of Professional Competence Audit. 

You can easily access your RCSI PCS portal from your smartphone.   The mobile-optimised version of the portal allows you to view your portfolio details and upload activities directly from your device.

Steps to Access:

1. Open the web browser on your smartphone.
2. Go to www.rcsi.com/portal.
3. Sign in to your PCS portal using your login credentials.
4. Once signed in, tap the menu or share icon at the top of your screen and select “Add to Home Screen.”
5. An RCSI icon will then appear on your home screen for quick and easy future access.

Your PCS portfolio will remain as “unverified” until such time as you are selected for an RCSI verification audit. 

Please note our RCSI CPD Recruitment Cycle for 2026/27 will open in July 2026. 

RCSI Support Scheme programme includes a wide range of courses for NCHD's in surgery and emergency medicine including Trauma 360 - Simulation for Survival Certificate, Managing Adverse Events, Core Clinical Communication Skills for Aspiring Surgeons, and more. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/professional-cpd/cpdss