Posted with permission from Pat Deleon, Ph.D.
Visionary Ken Drude has been on the cutting-edge of psychology’s increasing awareness of the long-term implications of telehealth for the clinician and most importantly, for potential clients. Most recently, he has urged our colleagues to also appreciate the importance of their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) profiles and especially to ensure that they incorporate experiences addressing the nation’s ever-changing practice environment; for example, the unprecedented advances occurring within the technology and communications fields, as well as the steady maturation of interprofessional (IPE) and integrated care. Ken notes that CPD is the responsibility (often legally required) of all practicing health professionals in order to maintain and enhance their performance with the goal of ultimately achieving improved health outcomes. And, that this is fundamentally a lifelong learning process which begins during graduate and postgraduate education and continues long after obtaining licensure. Although initially clinicians were most likely exposed to highly structured CPD, as their careers develop they have considerable discretion in crafting their learning processes.