Meeting learning needs at GP CPD events: The value of a precourse survey

Conferences

Title	Type
RCGP Conference 2016 (Harrogate)	Poster presentation

Dr Helen O'Reilly

Aim

Evidence shows that GPs feel that GP CPD education events are not always relevant to their personal practice in primary care. However, such events are popular. My aim was to attempt to communicate the specific learning needs of the attendees to the speakers prior to the event, to help them to plan a learning experience which would be relevant to the audience.

Development

I sent an online survey to GP attendees the week before a GP Education event asking about their confidence and specific learning needs in each planned topic. A live results link was sent to the speakers, who were therefore able to modify their presentations in advance if they wished. Feedback surveys were sent to both speakers and attendees after the event.

Outcome

The attendee response rate was over 70%. In their feedback, audience members felt it helpful to their learning to have considered (and therefore focussed their minds on) their learning needs prior to the event and that the survey improved the relevance of the course to their practice. Speakers felt that the process had helped them better understand the expectations of audience members, and the majority felt that their presentations were more relevant as a result.

Impact

Asking attendees to consider their personal learning needs prior to a GP CPD event through the use of an online survey helps speakers to better understand the personal practice of their primary care audience and can help improve the relevance of their presentations. In this way a CPD event can better meet the learning needs of the GPs attending, and therefore improve the development of their personal practice.