Executive summary
For busy UK clinicians, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) often feels like a race to accumulate hours rather than a meaningful learning exercise. The good news is that the regulatory landscape, led by the GMC and RCGP, has decisively shifted to prioritise the quality and impact of your reflection, not just the number of hours logged. This change opens the door for a smarter, more efficient way to learn.
The evidence shows that microlearning and spaced retrieval practice are more effective for long-term knowledge retention than traditional "cramming" (PMC, jmir.org). The most effective strategy in 2025 is to pair these bite-sized learning activities with "log-while-working" tools. Platforms like the iatroX CPD logger, the Physicians’ CPD app, FourteenFish, and Agilio Clarity are all designed to capture these learning moments on the go, helping you build a high-quality appraisal portfolio with minimal administrative effort.
CPD landscape in 2025: appraisal reality vs College schemes
It's crucial to understand what your appraiser is actually looking for.
- GMC position (revalidation): The GMC does not mandate a fixed number of hours. Its guidance is clear: you must plan, do, reflect, and discuss. You are required to bring sufficient supporting information that covers your whole scope of practice, with a strong emphasis on reflection (gmc-uk.org).
- AoMRC & College conventions: The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) also de-emphasises arbitrary credit-counting in favour of appraisal quality. However, many individual Royal Colleges (like the RCS and RCPath) still publish numeric guidance, often around the 50-credit-per-year convention, as a useful benchmark.
High-yield activity types that maximise CPD per minute
- Targeted e-learning via NHS e-LfH: This is a vast, free catalogue for all NHS staff. Completing a 20-minute module on a topic relevant to your practice is a high-yield, easily evidenced activity (elearning for healthcare).
- Live webinars with instant certificates: Platforms like MedAll host thousands of free, live and on-demand sessions. Attending a one-hour webinar provides an instant, verifiable certificate for your portfolio (medall.org).
- Evidence look-ups you already do: The clinical questions you look up on NICE or the BNF during a busy clinic are some of the most impactful CPD activities you can do. The key is to capture and reflect on them.
Microlearning & spaced education: learn in the flow of work
The evidence for a "little and often" approach is compelling.
- Why microlearning works: Recent systematic reviews in health education confirm that learning in brief, focused bursts improves knowledge, confidence, and fits far more realistically into a busy clinical schedule (PMC).
- The retention advantage: Spaced education—where you revisit a topic at increasing intervals—has been shown in multiple trials to be superior to massed "cramming" sessions for long-term retention. A 10-minute quiz on your commute is often more effective than a 4-hour study block (jmir.org).
“Log while working” toolstack (UK-ready)
iatroX CPD (free)
The iatroX platform integrates learning directly into your workflow. You can use the Ask iatroX feature to get a fast, citation-backed answer to a clinical query, and then, with a single click, save that entire interaction as a CPD entry. The tool provides AI-assisted prompts to help you write a structured reflection and can export a professional, appraisal-ready PDF report.
Physicians’ CPD (Federation of RCPs)
A popular mobile app and diary from the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians. Its stand-out feature is the ability to capture your reflections on the go using voice transcription, which makes logging your thoughts incredibly fast.
FourteenFish Portfolio
A market leader in GP appraisal, the FourteenFish mobile app is excellent for adding learning logs, photos of certificates, and other evidence while you are away from your desk. It also has a popular "email-to-diary" feature.
Agilio Clarity (Doctors)
Another widely-used appraisal toolkit, Agilio Clarity's AMP app allows clinicians to log their CPD on the go and link learning resources directly from their mobile device.
MedAll
As well as being a source of learning, the MedAll app automatically logs all the events you attend on its platform and provides instant, downloadable certificates, creating an easy-to-manage evidence trail.
BMJ Learning & RCGP eLearning
These platforms offer a vast library of peer-reviewed, structured modules that are ideal for deeper dives into specific topics. They provide robust certificates that are simple to upload to your portfolio.
Reflection made simple (and faster)
Your appraiser wants to see impact, not a novel. Use this simple 3-step mini-template, which aligns with GMC and AoMRC expectations:
- Objective: What was the learning trigger? (e.g., "A patient query," "An iatroX Quiz question," "A MedAll webinar").
- Activity: What did you do? (e.g., "Attended webinar," "Read NICE CKS page," "Used Ask iatroX to check guidance").
- Impact on practice: What will you change? (e.g., "I will now use drug Y first-line," "I have updated our practice template").
30-minute weekly system
- Mon–Fri (5-7 mins/day): Use "dead time" (e.g., your commute) for one microlearning activity. This could be a 5-minute adaptive quiz on iatroX or a single bite-sized module from e-LfH. Log any key learning point.
- One evening (20-25 mins): Attend one live MedAll webinar or complete one BMJ Learning / RCGP module.
- Result: A steady stream of high-quality, verifiable CPD entries with minimal time drain and strong evidence for your appraisal.
Comparison table
| Platform | Best for | Typical Time/Session | CPD Evidence | Pricing Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Praktiki | Daily clinical pearls | 5–10 mins | In-app CPD | Paid (watch for free access offers) |
| iatroX | Adaptive quiz + cited Q&A + log | 5–10 mins | Reflective PDF export | Free core features |
| NHS e-LfH | Targeted modules | 10–20 mins | Certificate | Free for NHS staff |
| MedAll | Live/on-demand micro-CPD | 15–60 mins | Certificate | Many events are free |
| BMJ Learning | Deep-dive topics | 20–40 mins | Certificate | Mostly paid (check NHS access) |
| CPPE | Pharmacy pathways | 15–45 mins | Certificate | NHS-funded (eligible users) |
Safeguards & good practice
- Provenance first: Prefer tools that cite their sources. A key feature of iatroX is providing answers with clear citations to authoritative guidance, allowing you to verify the information.
- Avoid content fatigue: Rotate your learning (quiz → case → video) to maintain engagement.
- Be appraisal-ready: Keep a running log with concise reflections. The RCGP and other bodies now favour quality and impact over long, unreflective lists of courses.
FAQs
- Does micro-learning “count” for CPD?
- Yes, absolutely. The GMC states that CPD must be relevant and reflected upon. A 10-minute learning activity that you reflect on and which impacts your practice is a perfect, high-quality CPD entry.
- Is spaced repetition really better than rereading?
- Yes. The evidence from medical education is clear: actively testing yourself (retrieval) and spacing out those tests over time leads to far superior long-term knowledge retention.
- What are the best free sources for CPD?
- A powerful free combination is iatroX (for its free adaptive quiz, cited Q&A, and CPD log), NHS e-LfH (for its vast, free catalogue), and MedAll (for its thousands of free, certified webinars).