A good PDP connects a specific need with an achievable learning action, the support required and a way to review the result. It is a working agreement for development, not a list of course bookings.
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
- Write objectives that describe a change in practice.
- Separate personal learning from organisational dependencies.
- Review objectives without inflating completion.
Describe the need and the desired change
GMC: continuing professional development ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
Begin with the gap you want to address and why it matters. Avoid vague objectives such as “improve leadership” or “keep up to date”. Describe a skill, behaviour or understanding that you can examine in practice. It may be a development need, preparation for a new role or a strength you want to extend.
An original example is: “Develop a more structured approach to giving feedback to supervised colleagues, because my current feedback sometimes leaves the next action unclear.” The desired change is that the colleague leaves with a shared understanding and an agreed plan. This is more useful than “attend a supervision course” because it keeps the learning purpose visible if the method changes.
Choose a method that can address the need
Match the activity to the intended change. Reading may resolve a knowledge question; observation and feedback may be needed for a conversational skill; supervised practice may be needed before extending clinical work. Several methods can be combined. A certificate is evidence of participation, while the objective may require evidence that the learning has been applied.
For the feedback example, a plan could combine reviewing an approved framework, observing a colleague, practising in suitable circumstances and discussing feedback with a supervisor. Specify what each step contributes. The programme’s PDP builder prompts these elements but does not generate an objective on your behalf or decide whether the proposed training is sufficient for independent practice.
Name the support and dependencies
Record what you can do and what requires agreement: protected time, access to a service, supervision, funding, equipment or a learning opportunity. Identify the responsible role and whether support is requested or confirmed. An appraiser’s agreement with the learning need does not automatically authorise expenditure, change a job plan or create clinical privileges.
If the objective depends on a placement that has not been agreed, state that dependency. Plan when to request it and what alternative to discuss if it is unavailable. This makes the plan realistic and helps distinguish a stalled opportunity from a failure to engage. Organisational actions should have their own owner rather than being silently assigned to the doctor as a personal shortcoming.
Decide what progress would look like
GMC: continuing professional development ↗
UK · Relevant requirements and explanatory sections · Substantive check: 2026-09-09. Reviewed for the specific appraisal teaching; not certification of every linked statement.
Select evidence that fits the objective: an observed discussion, a supervisor’s feedback, a reviewed product, a small evaluation or a reflective account of applying the learning. Use measures carefully. An attendance count may be easy to obtain but poorly matched to a behavioural goal. Avoid setting targets that reward superficial compliance rather than useful change.
For example, “three observed feedback conversations reviewed with a supervisor” describes a learning process, while “all colleagues will rate me excellent” promises an outcome you cannot control. A review should consider what changed, how you know and what remains to develop. The evidence should support the claim being made, including any limit on the setting or level of independence.
Keep the plan manageable
Choose a feasible set of objectives and realistic review dates. There is no benefit in a long list that cannot fit within the year. Identify which needs are urgent for current work, which prepare for a future responsibility and which can wait. A safety-critical competence gap needs appropriate action now; it should not be treated as an optional year-long aspiration.
Use interim review points to notice barriers early. If the plan has become unrealistic, discuss a change and document why. An objective may be revised or discontinued for a sound reason. Honest adjustment is better than marking it complete because the appraisal date has arrived. Keep the relationship between the objective, your role and available support visible.
Review, close or carry forward deliberately
At review, distinguish the activity undertaken, learning gained, application and impact. State whether the objective is achieved, partly achieved, revised, no longer relevant or still awaiting support. Explain the evidence and next step. Do not copy the same objective indefinitely without examining what prevented progress or whether it still matters.
The browser builder supports a draft and a plain-text export, not an official sign-off. Read the export, remove unnecessary detail and transfer appropriate content to the approved appraisal system. A completeness prompt checks that fields are present; it cannot assess the quality, feasibility or regulatory adequacy of your plan. Those judgements require the professional conversation.
Prepare a proposed PDP
Keep the plan small enough to deliver. This tool allows up to five objectives for convenience; it is not a GMC numerical requirement. Discuss and agree the plan through your appraisal process.
Use neutral planning notes only. Do not enter names, GMC numbers, identifiable cases, health details or confidential employer information. Entries stay in this open page, are not saved automatically and are lost when you leave or reload. Download only on a trusted device and store the file appropriately.
Which objective in your current plan has the weakest link between activity and a real change in practice?
Three takeaways
- 1Describe the intended change.
- 2Make support and evidence explicit.
- 3Review the result and revise honestly.
Check your understanding
Six questions on Build a personal development plan that can be delivered test process and practical judgement. This is educational: it does not assess your health, evidence sufficiency or decide a legal issue.
Recommended workbooks
Use neutral planning notes and keep completed workbooks on a trusted device. Do not enter identifiable cases or confidential material.
Official and professional guidance
Confirm current GMC requirements and the approved arrangements for your designated body and nation.