&geometry(405x90) "Australasian College of Legal Medicine")
Do you need a CPD home?
ACLM has partnered with Osler CPD Home for the benefit of our members.
CPD Requirements
A summary is below, or you can download all information as a PDF.
Overview
As a College for practitioners working at the junction between law and medicine, ACLM provides an internal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program.
Who is required to complete ACLM’s CPD program?
Only ACLM Fellows and Members (including Honorary Life Fellows) are required to show evidence of completing ACLM’s CPD program each year. Associate members are encouraged to also participate but are not required to show evidence and will not be audited. All other membership categories are not required to complete ACLM's CPD program.
Cycle Length
ACLM’s CPD program cycle is 1 January to 31 December each year (annual).
Due Date
CPD submissions are due by 14 April each year for the previous year’s cycle.
Fees
ACLM’s CPD program is provided for free to members, including access to any forms, guidance and certificates of currency.
Format
You must complete and submit this official form to members@legalmedicine.com.au and provide relevant attachments.
CPD Requirements
There are only two requirements:
1. Submit evidence of completion of CPD requirements with your CPD home or equivalent
We recognise that all Fellows and Members are registered medical or dental practitioners and must comply with CPD requirements of the appropriate licensing authority to maintain their registration. For doctors in Australia, that means participating in a ‘CPD home’. Please attach your CPD home annual certificate of completion, or equivalent for dentists and overseas members.
2. Submit evidence of completed CPD activity relevant to legal and/or forensic medicine
The Objects of ACLM as defined in the Memorandum of Association include ‘To establish high standards of skill and practice in the field of legal medicine’. For this reason, Fellows and Members must complete a minimum of 5 hours per year of CPD activity relevant to legal and/or forensic medicine. Download the document below for a list of acceptable activities. Contact us if you have another activity which you would like approved.
CPD Auditing
5% of all ACLM Fellows and Members will be audited annually after 14 April. Members are selected at random for the annual audit.
The audit is conducted by the ACLM Audit Officer (or Administrative Officer). The audit will initially check for:
- Overall CPD Program compliance (hours, activity types, CPD home certificate submitted) for the year being audited; and
- Compliance of individual activities with ACLM’s CPD Program requirements, checking for relevance and accurate reporting.
Members who pass this initial step will be sent a letter notifying them of the audit and their outcome.
Non-compliance and remediation
Members who fail the initial audit will be contacted with a request to supply the required information.
The Administrative Officer will offer the member support to complete the ACLM CPD Form template, and support to identify which activities meet the ACLM requirements of ‘relevant to legal and/or forensic medicine’.
They must comply by providing documentation and evidence by 30 June. If provided, they will be sent a letter notifying them of their compliance.
If a member did not meet the ACLM CPD requirements for that year due to continuous absence from practice under certain circumstances, they may choose to request an exemption or variation. ACLM will offer to assist the member to identify suitable activities for the year ahead.
Members who do not provide the required information by 30 June will be notified of their non-compliance. This will also be reported to Council, who will review the attempts made to assist the member with remediation, and may choose to remove the member, or to provide further remedial support.
FAQs
Communicating CPD changes
The Australasian College of Legal Medicine periodically updates its CPD Program and related requirements for members. ACLM is committed to ensuring that its members do not experience any ‘unfair disadvantage’ due to changing CPD requirements.
When does ACLM communicate CPD Program changes?
The ACLM communicates proposed changes as far in advance as possible and as accurately as possible, aiming for at least six months’ notice for CPD Program changes. The ACLM will give users advance notice of changes for the coming CPD cycle, including relating to requirements, content/activities, processes, and costs.
Where will I hear about CPD Program changes?
ACLM will communicate proposed and actual CPD program changes via:
- The ACLM website here
- ACLM members’ newsletter
- Specific emails out to members
- Information emails out to other organisations who may need to be aware of changes.
It is important that you inform us if your contact details change.
