Revalidation - a personal reflection.
BACKGROUND
The review of a doctor's fitness to practice is being increasingly discussed internationally. The Medical Board of Australia has recently announced a desire to explore this issue. The United Kingdom (UK) introduced revalidation for doctors last year. The UK revalidation system is an enhancement of the National Health Service appraisal system that requires doctors to participate in annual appraisals conducted by trained peers. The appraisal process involves four stages: submission of a range of information; a confidential appraisal discussion; a personal development plan; and a post-appraisal sign-off. The criteria that doctors are assessed against are detailed in the General Medical Council's guidelines of Good Medical Practice. Satisfactory participation in the appraisal process over a 5-year cycle is likely to result in a recommendation for successful revalidation.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the UK revalidation system and to share my personal reflection about the revalidation process.


CONCLUSIONS
The revalidation process has been beneficial from a personal perspective, but the range of consequences and subsequent support mechanisms need to be considered and addressed.
MBBS, DRCOG, DFRSH, FRCGP, FRACGP, Senior Research Fellow, Australian National University, Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
Paresh
P
Dawda
D002983:Clinical Competence; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires