Professional Development

Accreditation of Group Learning Activities

The CUA is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as a provider of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities. Accordingly, the CUA is able to review and provide certification of Section 1 and 3 Learning Activities, as defined by the Royal College and shown below:
(visit the website of the Royal College, http://rcpsc.medical.org/opd, for more detailed information on the CPD Program and definitions of the various categories of Learning Activities).

CPD activities undertaken with industry are governed by the Canadian Medical Association Policy on Physicians and the Pharmaceutical Industry and Code of Ethics (Update 2004). The CUA also supports and adheres to the Code of Marketing Practices of Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) outlined in the Code of Conduct - January 2006.

The Framework of Continuing Professionnal Development Options

Section 1

Accredited group learning activities

Activities that can be reported in Section 1:

  • hospital-sponsored rounds, journal clubs
  • small group learning
  • group learning activities held in Canada
  • group learning activities held outside Canada
  • web-base CME events

Section 2

Other learning activities

Activities that can be reported in Section 2:

  • reading journals
  • using CD-ROMs,
  • reading online material
  • participating in unaccredited group activities

Section 3

Accredited
self-assessment programs

Activities that can be reported in Section 3:

  • approved self-assessment programs
  • medical simulations

Section 4

Structured learning projects

Activities that can be reported in Section 4:

  • personal learning projects
  • point of care learning activities
  • traineeships
  • preceptored courses, fellowships, master or PhD programs

Section 5

Personal practice review

Activities that can be reported in Section 5:

  • practice assessments

Section 6

Personal educational development

Activities that can be reported in Section 6:

  • teaching
  • standard setting
  • research

The Requirements for Educational Activities and Documentation for Accreditated Group Learning Activities (Section I) and Accredited Self-assessment Programs (Section III), taken from the Royal College CPD Program Information Guide, appear below.

The fee to non-CUA members to review applications for Section 1 or 3 Activities is $3,000.00, payable at the time of submission of the application. Activities that receive approval have the right and obligation to display the CUA logo in any promotional and curriculum materials, and in addition the following statement should appear: "This event has been accredited by the Canadian Urological Association as a Section 1 (or 3) Learning Activity, as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada".

If you would like to have a Group Learning Activity accredited by the CUA, please download and fill out the Application Form, sign it and send it by fax (514-875-0205) or as a scanned e-mail attachment to:
Dr François Bénard, Chair, CUA Continuous Professional Development Committee (education@cua.org). The Disclosure Form should also be downloaded, filled in, signed and sent in the same way.