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Continuing Professional Education

CPC Systems

"The Continuing Professional Competencies (CPC) Program provides a framework, guidelines, and tools to support EPHPs in becoming qualified and remaining competent and ethical within the profession. Through self-regulation, professions can set standards of conduct, minimum educational expectations, and competency requirements to encourage individuals entering or practicing in the profession to do so in a competent and professional manner" (CIPHI, 2010).

 

The CPC Program involves four components:

  1. Code of Ethics: Minimum ethical and professional conduct expectations all Environmental Public Health Professionals (EPHPs) must adhere to (CIPHI, 2017).

  2. Standards of Practice: A framework that informs the public and EPHPs of an EPHP's responsibilities and requirements of knowledge, skills and values (CIPHI, 2017).

  3. Discipline Specific Competencies: Describes the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities for the continuing success of an EPHP beyond the CPHI(C) certification (CIPHI, 2017). Includes an annual self-assessment to reflect on personal strengths and weaknesses (CIPHI, 2017).

  4. Professional Development (PD) Model: Identifies areas in which EPHPs should focus their professional development so as to preserve and advance their professional competency (CIPHI, 2017).

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The CPC Program involves five steps every CPHI certified EPHP must follow:

  1. Use the discipline specific competencies to conduct a self assessment (CIPHI, 2017).

  2. Identify learning objectives and development goals (CIPHI, 2017).

  3. Review CIPHI’s Professional Development requirements (CIPHI, 2017).

  4. Collect Professional Development Hours (PDHs) (CIPHI, 2017).

  5. Submit their PDHs through the CIPHI membership site (CIPHI, 2017).

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CIPHI’s PD Model has three fundamental elements:

  1. Reflective Practice:​ Critically reflect and evaluate practices against the discipline specific competencies (CIPHI, 2019). Aims to encourage EPHPs to reflect on their learning activities and put their knowledge into action (CIPHI, 2019).

  2. Professional Development Hours: Collect and submit a total of 80 PDHs annually, online, in the Member Service Center (CIPHI, 2019). Professional Practice can comprise 50 of the required hours, and the other 30 hours may include formal activities, informal activities, participation, presenting, or contributions to Knowledge and Reflective Practice (CIPHI, 2019).

  3. Self Reporting: Log and maintain a record of CPC activities and records that support  PDH completion (CIPHI, 2019).

Importance of CPC

The CPC Program is important because:​

  1. It encourages practicing Canadian EPHPs to meet the requirements for maintaining the CPHI certification (CIPHI, 2010).

  2. It enhances EPHPs ability to gain and maintain the crucial skills, knowledge, and practices required to protect Canadian's health (CIPHI, 2010).

  3. It encourages EPHPs to refelect on and learn from their practice (CIPHI, 2010).

  4. It allows for consistency across the profession and promotes development (CIPHI, 2010).

  5. It increases recognition and credibility of Environmental Public Health (CIPHI, 2010).

The CPC Program is also very important because technology and the field of Environmental Public Health are constantly evolving, and having standards of practice to keep all EPHPs up to date, ensures that they can protect the health of Canadians to the maximum degree. For example, it is inevitable that as Public Health Inspectors age the best practices for food safety will change. Enforcing policy that requires that Health Inspector to reflect on his practice and continue his education in the field through courses or presentations allows the Health Inspector and the Public to be reassured that best practices are always being followed. Additionally, as technologies evolve, understanding and keeping up with those technologies allows all EPHPs to do their practice as effectively and efficiently as possible.

My PDHs

For my Professional Development Hours I plan to:​

  • Complete my Professional Practice hours as a Public Health Inspector.

  • I will also make sure to keep the competencies self assessment tool completed and up to date

  • For my remaining hours I will aim to increase my knowledge base by attending courses,seminars, webinars, technical presentations, talks and workshops offered by universities, colleges, employers, or technical institutes.

  • I will also try to participate in active service for charitable, or community organizations.

  • I would also like to give my own professional presentations on Public Health when I have enough experience to do so.

  • Lastly I hope to one day be able to publish research papers in peer-reviewed journals.

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