The Learning Plan must be approved
by CDR
no later than 120 days after the date of your certificate
for completing a home study course.
Don't Panic
The RULES for Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
have changed! We are here to help make your life easy!
As of June 1, 2001 ADA-CDR started a new recertification
process for RDs and DTRs, which is called the Professional Development
Portfolio (PDP) Process.
Even though the binder sent to you by CDR may be a bit overwhelming
the PDP process is really not as complicated as it seems. Basically
here are the five steps to the PDP made easy:
Step 1. Self-Reflection
Reflect on your professional interests, and identify your short and
long-term goals that are dietetic related. What's important is that
the goals you identify will drive all of your learning activities. That's
why we suggest that you make your goals as broad as possible so that
you have lots of flexibility for the other steps.
If you don't have a clue where or how to get started, look at the "Learning
Needs Assessment" yellow forms (Step 2) and see what interests
you. Anything on this form is by definition dietetic related.
Better yet if you can align your goal with one of the first headings
in each of the nine learning need categories (learning codes that end
in 000) from the Learning Needs Assessment (Step 2) then you can do
any of the learning needs identified under that broad heading and still
be in compliance with the system.
By the way you can have as few as one goal or as many as you want. Keep
these forms in your own file.
Step 2. Assess your learning needs
These forms may seem overwhelming until you realize that you only need
to complete those items that relate to the goal(s) you established in
Step 1.
For example, let's say that in Step 1 you established your goal, as
"I want to improve my professional skills." You fill out only
those "Learning Need Codes" that relate to your goal, which
may include Codes: 1000--Professional skills; 1010--Career planning,
job search, goal setting; and 1120--Time and stress management, life
balance. Keep these forms in your own file.
3. Develop your learning plan
This is the form you will be forwarding to CDR and if you want to make
substantial changes to your plan you have to notify CDR. That's why
I suggest you keep your goals broad (i.e. pick codes that end in 000)
so you have wiggle room.
For example in the "Goal" section of this form you fill in:
"I want to improve my professional skills." In the "Learning
Need" section you print "Professional skills" fill in
Code 1000 and the level you'd like to achieve-Level 1, 2 or 3. (Levels
are not tracked by CDR so don't spend too much time on these.)
You may add additional codes if you desire such as 1010--Career planning,
job search, goal setting; and 1120--Time and stress management, life
balance. However, any of the codes listed in the 1000 category will
satisfy your 1000 learning need code.
For "Approved Types of Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Activity," on the back of this form, you go to our catalog and
note that our course "How to Maximize Professional Potential and
Increase Your Earning Power in Nutrition and Dietetics (C187)"
is appropriate for Codes 1000, 1010, and 1120.
You can use courses of any level for every Level (1, 2 or 3) that you
have specified in your Portfolio.
You mark the "Pre-approved Self-study--720 Printed" section
of the green form.
You also note that our course C187 is approved for 30 CPEUs, which means
that you have almost half of your requirements for your five-year period
taken care of.
You complete Step 3 by coming up with 75 CPEUs if you are an RD or 50
CPEUs if you are a DTR. All must be related to your goals.
Then you mail a copy to CDR and keep one copy in your binder which CDR
has sent you. You can also do this online at www.cdrnet.org.
Remember, your Learning Plan must be approved by CDR no later than 120
days after the date of your certificate for completing a home study
course. Courses which have certificates dated prior to the 120 days
will not be accepted by CDR.
For example: Your certificate for a completed course is dated 4/15/2007,
your Learning Plan must be approved before 8/14/2007. If your certificate
is dated 4/15/2007 and your Learning Plan is approved on 9/14/2007 your
CPEUs will not be accepted by CDR.
Step 4. Maintain your Learning Activities Log
CDR would like you to complete this log as you complete your CPEUs.
For the courses that you do with us we will make your life much easier.
First of all we will send you a Certificate of Completion for every
course you complete with us which you can file in your binder. In addition,
as a value added service, we will track your credits for you. If you
do courses with us all you do is contact us before the end of your five
year period and we will send you a summary report that you can use to
complete this report.
Once you have all your credits completed (75 RDs, 50 DTRs) mail your
completed forms to CDR and keep a copy for your file. You can also complete
Step 4 on-line at www.cdrnet.org. Be sure to submit Step 4 only after
all your credits have been completed. CDR does not accept partial submissions.
You are almost done.
5. Learning plan evaluation
Complete this form to help you start planning for your next five-year
cycle. Keep this form in your own file. That's all there is to it!
By the way it is important that you keep your forms in one place. I
suggest that you keep it in the nice binder CDR has sent you. That way
if you are audited you will have everything together.
If we can help make your life easier in any way contact us at 1-800-828-9653,
e-mail WolfRinke@aol.com.
If you need an official answer to you questions call CDR at 1-800-877-1600
xt. 5500 or go to http://www.cdrnet.org.
Most frequently asked questions about the Professional Development
Portfolio (PDP) Process.
Q: Do I have to complete a certain number of credits per year?
A: No, not for CDR. For CDR you must complete 75 CPEUs/5 years if you
are an RD and 50 CPEUs/5 years if you are a DTR. As far is CDR is concerned
you can complete all of your requirements in the first or the last year.
However you may have additional requirements if you are licensed. Check
with your state licensure board.
Q: Who will track my completed CPEUs?
A: You will have to do that. Or you can do your courses with us and
we will, as a value added service, track your credits for you. However
you still have to send CDR the completed Learning Activities Log (Step
4) or do it on-line at www.cdrnet.org.
Q: How do I know what learning activity fits with my learning needs?
A: Each one of our courses listed on our website or catalog specifies
the learning need code that applies to that specific course. For example
our course C101 "How to Maximize Professional Potential and Increase
Your Earning Power in Nutrition and Dietetics" is appropriate for
Codes 1000, 1010, 1120, etc. You can use courses of any level for every
Level (1, 2 or 3) that you specified in your Portfolio.
Q: Can I change my learning plan?
A: Yes. However you must notify CDR of the change. To avoid doing that,
we suggest that you make your learning goals broad enough to accommodate
a wide variety of activities. (Pick learning codes that end in 000.)
Q: Can I meet all of my CPE requirements by doing home-study courses?
A: Yes, as far as CDR is concerned. In fact if you do them all with
us, you don't have to track your completed courses. We will, as a value
added service, track your credits for you. However you may have different
requirements if you are licensed. Check with your state licensure board.
Q: All of this sounds very confusing, where can I get help?
A: You can contact us at 1-800-828-9653, e-mail WolfRinke@aol.com and
we will demystify the process as best as we can. Or you can call CDR
at 1-800-877-1600 xt. 5500 or go to www.cdrnet.org
Q: How many learning goals do I need to submit to CDR?
A: At least one or as many as you like. Keep in mind that fewer goals
are easier to manage.
Q: How many learning need codes do I need to specify for each goal?
A: As few or as many as you like. To keep the process simple you may
want to specify only the first Learning Need Code in each category.
For example, if the category of "Laboratory Test - 3060" meets
one of your learning goals, you may want to specify Learning Need Code
3000- Nutrition Assessment instead, since it covers 3060 and nine other
codes 3010 to 3100.
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