A question during clinic can start a piece of CPD that carries through to appraisal. BMJ Best Practice can track the reference reading you do while signed in. iatroX gives you a way to explore the topic through questions and Tutor, then record what you learned. FourteenFish can bring the resulting evidence together with learning from the rest of your work.
Think about the record you want to have when you next review your personal development plan (PDP). The GMC asks for annual CPD across your scope of practice and reflection on how the activity helps you maintain or improve your work. That gives each piece of evidence a purpose, from a reading certificate to a follow-up action you plan to discuss at appraisal. GMC guidance on CPD
Compare the three routes
| Tool | Where it fits during work | What you can keep |
|---|---|---|
| BMJ Best Practice | Read a clinical topic while signed in to a personal profile with access | Tracked topic activity and a downloadable activity certificate |
| iatroX | Capture learning from an eligible Ask answer or explore a topic through targeted questions and Tutor | A reviewed record of the learning, with PDF and linked FourteenFish export options |
| FourteenFish | Capture learning across sources and organise supporting information for appraisal | Learning notes, supporting attachments and appraisal entries |
If most of your learning starts with reference reading, start with a signed-in BMJ Best Practice session. If a lookup gives you a topic you want to practise and understand in more depth, iatroX gives you that next step and a record of it. If you already use FourteenFish for appraisal, collect the outputs there alongside teaching, peer discussion and other development activity.
Record the reading in BMJ Best Practice
If you access BMJ Best Practice through work, set up its personal profile through your institution's access route. That lets you build a personal history while you look up clinical topics. The CME/CPD dashboard groups tracked activity by month and lets you select the activities you want to include in a PDF certificate. You can also add reflection and impact statements when preparing it. BMJ Best Practice activity tracking and certificates · Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust access guide
At the end of the week, review your entries and pick the topic you want to revisit. Give it a name you will recognise later, such as “Reviewing medication monitoring after discharge.” The dashboard records your reading and a short note records the reason it mattered to your work. Together they give you a starting point for your next learning session.
Capture and develop the learning in iatroX
If you start with Ask iatroX, use Save learning on an eligible answer to open a private reflection with the topic and sources in view. With all-access you can take the reflection into your CPD record and review it before finalising. This gives you a place to capture what you learned while the question is fresh, even when your next opportunity for a longer session comes later. Ask iatroX · iatroX CPD access
Choose the part of the topic you want to understand better. In iatroX CPD, select clinical practice, your professional context and the UK content library, then look for relevant questions. All-access sessions can be set for 5, 10 or 20 questions, with the number shown reflecting what is available on the topic. After answering, use Tutor to revisit the reasoning behind a question you found difficult or an answer you chose with uncertainty. iatroX CPD
A completed targeted session creates a private draft. It brings together the learning need, your session activity and outcomes, with prompts that help you describe what changed. You review the draft, write or edit the reflection in your own words, and confirm the record. iatroX connects the work you did with the explanation you want to take to appraisal. You can keep the final record in My CPD, download it as a PDF or send it to a linked FourteenFish account. iatroX learning records and exports
A verified account includes an introductory five-question CPD session with Tutor support, reflection prompts and a reviewed PDF record. Further new sessions are part of all-access, alongside question banks, Tutor and study planning. Completed evidence remains available to view and export after a subscription ends. iatroX CPD · iatroX plans
Bring the evidence into FourteenFish
FourteenFish gives you several routes for adding supporting information. You can create a learning entry on the website, use its mobile app or send an email from an address registered with your account. Email and app routes support attachments. If your iatroX and FourteenFish accounts are linked, you can use the direct export for your confirmed iatroX record. For a BMJ Best Practice certificate, use the downloaded PDF as an attachment to the relevant learning entry. FourteenFish supporting information guide · iatroX export options
When you review your supporting information, give related activities a shared topic and keep each date and activity clear. FourteenFish supports tags and roles, which can help when you want to distinguish clinical work, teaching or leadership. Keep reading, practice and a subsequent discussion identifiable as separate activities if you record time for them. When one activity appears in more than one system, consolidate its time in the record you use for appraisal. FourteenFish learning notes and roles
A worked example from a discharge review
Imagine you have reviewed several discharge letters and want to improve how you identify responsibility for follow-up. You read a relevant topic in BMJ Best Practice while signed in and save its activity certificate with your learning evidence. Your specific learning need is to recognise which parts of a medication review warrant a closer look at the local follow-up process.
Later, you use iatroX to find a short question session on a relevant clinical topic. You discuss one attempted question with Tutor and realise what you want to explore with your practice pharmacist. In your own words, the reflection might read like this.
Reviewing the topic and discussing a practice question helped me separate the general monitoring principles from the question of who arranges follow-up locally. I’ll review our discharge process with the practice pharmacist and bring an example of clear follow-up wording to our next team discussion.
You then review the draft, export the record and keep it beside the source activity in your appraisal portfolio. A later note can capture what the team agreed and whether your own review process changed. Use a topic-based description without identifiable details. The record will give you something specific to discuss when you revisit your PDP. GMC guidance on CPD and reflection
Use a short weekly review to choose which records to carry forward. How to log CPD at work
Frequently asked questions
Can I collect CPD evidence using the BMJ Best Practice app?
BMJ Best Practice describes CME/CPD tracking on mobile when you use the app or website while signed in. You can review your activity and prepare certificates from your account. BMJ Best Practice FAQ
How can I try the iatroX workflow before choosing a subscription?
Start an introductory five-question CPD session with a verified account. Pick a topic you encountered at work, try Tutor after answering and review your own record before downloading the PDF. Try iatroX CPD
What should I take to a UK appraisal from all three tools?
Choose records that show what you learned across your roles and how you applied it or intend to follow up. A certificate can document an activity, while a focused iatroX record can describe the question practice and your reflection. Organise the material around your scope of practice and PDP. GMC appraisal and revalidation guidance