If You Didn’t Meet Your CPD Requirements This Year: What Happens Next (and What You Can Do)
Finding out that you haven’t met your CPD requirements can be confronting. For many doctors, it lands with a thud — often late at night, after a long shift, or during an already stressful period. If this is you, take a breath. Non-compliance is not uncommon, and it is not the end of your registration or career.
What matters now is understanding what happens next, what you can do, and how this is usually managed in practice.
First, an important reality check
If your CPD Home has determined that you did not complete the required elements of the CPD program for the 2025 CPD year, that outcome must be reported to AHPRA as part of routine annual reporting. This isn’t a punishment or a discretionary decision — it’s a regulatory obligation that applies consistently to all members.
It highlights just how important your CPD is - it is a mandatory component of your registration and your right to practice as a doctor.
To be fair to all doctors, portfolios cannot be reopened or extended after the formal CPD year has closed. This consistency is essential for the credibility of the CPD system as a whole, even though it can feel harsh when you’re the one affected.
What this does not mean
Non-compliance does not automatically mean loss of registration.
It does not mean you are “in trouble.”
And it does not mean AHPRA won’t listen.
AHPRA regularly deals with CPD non-compliance and understands that doctors are human. Illness, family crises, pregnancy, burnout, roster demands, overseas travel, administrative misunderstandings — these are real and common. Where there are genuine extenuating circumstances, they are taken into account.
If you believe there’s been an error
If you genuinely believe your CPD outcome is incorrect — for example, required activities were completed but not counted due to a misunderstanding or technical issue — your CPD Home’s Reconsideration, Review and Appeals Policy sets out the process for requesting a reassessment.
It’s important to read that policy carefully and only apply if you believe you meet the stated criteria. Reassessment is not a general extension process, and it must be handled consistently for all members.
What most doctors will need to do next
For the majority of doctors who have not complied, the pathway forward is relatively straightforward, even if it feels daunting at first.
When you renew your registration in 2026, you must answer NO to the question asking whether you complied with CPD requirements in the previous cycle. This honesty is essential — and expected.
You should then upload a document outlining:
the CPD activities you completed in 2025, including those you did not enter into your CPD portfolio
a brief explanation of the circumstances that led to non-compliance
AHPRA will then manually review your registration. They will usually contact you to discuss what happened and outline the next steps. In most cases, doctors are instructed to complete the missing 2025 CPD requirements in addition to their 2026 CPD.
A critical practical detail: keep records separate
If you are required to complete outstanding 2025 CPD, those activities must be kept separate from your 2026 CPD records. This usually means maintaining a spreadsheet or document specifically for remediation.
If you have not entered activities into Osler, create a spreadsheet and enter all activities. Start doing additional activities and record them in the spreadsheet. Make sure you meet the targets set on your dashboard.
You should start doing this right now. You can upload this with your registration.
The same activity cannot be counted twice. You cannot use one learning activity to satisfy both 2025 remediation and your 2026 CPD requirements.
Remedial 2025 activities must be tracked independently of Osler. AHPRA will be expecting you to be able to clearly meet their requirements, and it is up to you to do so.
It’s also important to understand that any activity completed within your CPD Home platform during 2026 will be recorded as 2026 CPD. These dates cannot be altered.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed — that’s normal
Doctors tend to be very good at managing risk for others and very hard on themselves when they fall short. CPD non-compliance often happens quietly, incrementally, and alongside competing pressures — not because someone didn’t care or wasn’t trying to practise safely.
AHPRA’s role is not punitive. It is regulatory and corrective. Their focus is on ensuring learning happens, not on catching people out.
Many of your peers or superiors have been in this position before - seek their support and guidance.
Focus on what’s in your control
Right now, the most helpful steps are simple and practical:
Gather your 2025 CPD evidence into one place. Create a spreadsheet for all the 2025 activities you haven’t entered, and print off a copy of your Osler Progress report from your 2025 dashboard
Start filling in the gaps in your 2025 CPD in the same spreadsheet
Make sure your 2026 CPD is up to date and progressing smoothly
Be honest and clear in your registration renewal - be warned, making a false declaration has significant consequences
Upload all these documents when you re-register
Respond promptly and calmly to any communication from AHPRA
Most doctors who engage openly and complete the required remediation continue practising without interruption.
A final word
If you’re reading this because you’re stressed, embarrassed, or worried about your future — you’re not alone, and you’re not the first doctor to be here. This situation is manageable, and there is a clear path forward.
CPD is meant to support good practice, not crush already stretched clinicians. The system allows for correction, learning, and continuation — and that’s exactly what most doctors experience once they take the next steps.
If you need support understanding the process, reach out early. Doing nothing is the only option that truly makes things harder.