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A personal development plan (PDP) will guide all doctors in their career, whatever grade they are at and whether they work in an acute or community setting.1 PDPs help doctors become more self aware, enabling them to understand how to improve performance and develop new skills. All doctors should engage in this process, as it is now a key component of appraisals and revalidation.2

A General Medical Council (GMC) survey found that 79% of respondents thought that their continuing professional development activity—of which PDPs are an essential part—over the past five years had helped them to improve the quality of care given to their patients.3

An overview

When starting a PDP doctors should reflect on their learning and performance so that they can identify their developmental priorities. They should then plan how to deal with these needs for their current role as well as future aspirations. After undertaking a range of planned learning activities doctors must show that they have achieved their goals and reflect on how this benefits them and others.4

Personal development plan (PDP) cycle 4

Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound (SMART)5 goals is essential for your PDP as it is thought that low achievement of goals may relate to poor quality PDP planning.6

Planning goals

When it comes to choosing goals, there are many ways of identifying strengths and development areas:

  • ● Doctors should look at the GMC’s Good Medical Practice framework, which outlines the four domains that all doctors must demonstrate7

  • ● Those in a training programme should refer to the curriculum in their e-portfolio

  • ● Qualitative feedback from colleagues using tools such as 360 degree assessments; feedback from patients, including details of complaints (if applicable); and feedback from consultants at previous appraisals

  • ● Non-clinical aspects of practice, including audit/quality improvement, research, teaching, management, and leadership. For the leadership skill, review the Clinical Leadership Competency Framework.8

Doctors should prioritise their goals, starting with essential learning needs. It is important to strike a balance between goals that are easily achievable and high aspirations. The number of goals to set will depend on personal choice and need and the resources available.

Example of objective one: To learn how...

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