Doctors' CPD Credits: How Royal College CPD Schemes Work

There is no single Royal College CPD credit number for doctors. The GMC does not set one, and each college or faculty runs its own scheme with its own unit, target and categories. Some use credits where one credit is about one hour, some use points, and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) says plainly that it is impossible to put a number on the credits a GP needs. The right figure for you depends on your specialty, so check your own college's current guidance.

This guide explains what the GMC does and does not require, then compares how several colleges describe their schemes. It covers doctors registered with the GMC in the UK. College requirements change, and several of the pages below are dated, so treat the figures as a guide and confirm them with your college.

What the GMC requires (and what it does not)

For revalidation the GMC requires you to collect, reflect on and discuss six types of supporting information at your annual appraisal. Continuing professional development (CPD) is one of the six, alongside quality improvement activity, significant events, feedback from patients, feedback from colleagues, and complaints and compliments.

According to the GMC's guidance on supporting information, you must:

• carry out CPD activities every year;
• make your CPD cover the whole of your practice and tailor it to your scope of practice and needs;
• reflect on what you learned and how it could help maintain or improve the quality of your practice; and
• discuss your CPD at each appraisal and reflect learning needs in your personal development plan.

The same guidance states that the GMC does not mandate the number of CPD points you should collect for revalidation. It also says you will not meet its requirements by simply collecting information. The RCOG's guidance adds that the GMC does not require you to join a college CPD scheme. In other words, college credits are a useful structure and a way of showing your appraiser you have kept up to date, not a GMC legal minimum.

Why colleges use credits at all

Colleges and faculties provide advice on appraisal and revalidation, and the GMC's guidance says so. Their schemes give you a target to work towards, a way to log and evidence activity, and often a certificate or report to take to appraisal. The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), for example, says its CPD will contribute a significant part of the evidence needed for revalidation, while enrolment is not mandatory.

How different colleges describe their schemes

Sources and dates differ. The RCoA figures come from guidance published on 14 November 2018. The RCR figures come from its CPD FAQs page, which refers to editions of its scheme up to 2016. The Federation's page says the 50/25 figures were specific to 2023-24 and points to newer guidelines dated November 2024. The RCPsych guidance (OP98) is dated January 2026. Check the live version of your own college's scheme before relying on any number.

Credits, hours and points: what is the difference?

In most schemes a credit or point is simply a way of counting learning time, and several colleges say it equals about an hour of activity. That is not universal. The RCPsych points system has caps, for example a maximum of 8 points per day and notional limits on some non-clinical activity types. The RCR scheme requires a reflective learning record for each hour claimed for distance learning. Always read the rules on what counts and how much.

Categories also differ. RCoA splits activity into external and internal. RCS England uses clinical, professional and academic. RCPsych splits clinical and non-clinical. The physicians' CPD diary refers to external, internal and personal credits.

Do credits from one college count at another?

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh's CPD guidance page says a February 2011 agreement through the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges means credits awarded by one college are accepted by all. That page is dated, so check with your own college. If you work across specialties, ask which scheme your appraiser expects you to use, and keep your records in a form you can export.

Practical tips for logging CPD

• Pick the scheme that matches your main specialty and ask your appraiser whether they expect it.
• Log activity as you go and write a short reflection while it is fresh. The GMC wants evidence of reflection, not a pile of certificates.
• Cover your whole scope of practice, including non-clinical roles such as teaching, management and research.
• If you are part-time, check how your college treats pro rata targets. The RCGP says part-time GPs should have at least the same amount of CPD as full-time GPs; other colleges may differ.
• Keep copies of your annual CPD report or certificate for appraisal.

For how other regulated professions handle CPD hours and audits, see our guides to HCPC CPD audits and FCA adviser CPD hours. Our CPD hub brings the topics together.

Frequently asked questions

How many CPD credits does a doctor need each year?

The GMC sets no number. Colleges vary: RCS England and the RCoA describe about 50 credits or hours a year, RCPsych requires at least 30 clinical points for College good standing, and the RCGP sets no figure. Check your own college.

Is joining a college CPD scheme compulsory?

Not as far as the GMC is concerned. The RCOG says the GMC does not require you to join a college CPD scheme, and the RCR says enrolment in its scheme is not mandatory. You must still be able to show your appraiser that you keep up to date.

Is one credit always one hour?

Often, but not always. RCoA, RCS England and RCPsych describe a credit or point as roughly or normally one hour. Check how your college counts and caps different activities.

Can I carry surplus credits into the next cycle?

It depends on the college. The RCR says credits above 250 cannot be carried into the next cycle. Other colleges may differ, so ask.

Do GPs need to collect credits?

The RCGP says no particular number applies. The GMC requires enough CPD to stay up to date across your whole scope of practice, discussed and reflected on at appraisal.

Next steps

Find your college's current CPD page, note its unit and target, and set up a log before you start the next CPD year. Whatever the credit count says, your appraiser will look for relevance and reflection first.

This article is general information, not regulatory, legal or compliance advice. Always check current requirements with the General Medical Council and your Royal College.