How To Earn Physio CPD Online in Australia

Between back-to-back patients, clinical notes and the demands of everyday practice, finding time to meet Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements can feel like another task on an already overflowing to-do list.

But keeping up with your CPD doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your evenings or weekends. For Australian physiotherapists, online learning offers a flexible, convenient way to meet annual requirements, stay up to date with the latest evidence and develop clinical skills you can put straight into practice.

What are the CPD requirements for physiotherapists in Australia?

The Physiotherapy Board of Australia requires practising physiotherapists to complete CPD each year to maintain and improve their professional competence.

To meet these requirements, you must:

• Complete at least 20 hours of CPD annually.
• Choose learning activities relevant to your scope of practice.
• Maintain a portfolio documenting your CPD activities, learning goals and reflections.

These requirements apply to all registered physiotherapists, except those holding student or non-practising registration.

Importantly, CPD isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s an opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and clinical reasoning to provide better care for your patients.

How many CPD hours do Australian physiotherapists need per year?

Australian physiotherapists must complete a minimum of 20 CPD hours per registration year, running from 1 December to 30 November.

If you’re newly registered partway through the registration year, your CPD requirement is calculated at five hours for every three months of registration remaining.

What counts as CPD in physiotherapy?

The Physiotherapy Board recognises a wide range of formal and informal learning activities, provided they’re relevant to maintaining or improving your professional competence.

Examples include:

• Online courses and webinars: Learning from experienced clinicians through structured educational content.
• Reading research: Exploring journal articles and clinical guidelines.
• Conferences and workshops: Attending professional seminars and practical training sessions.
• Peer learning: Participating in mentoring, clinical supervision and case discussions.
• Research and teaching: Conducting research, presenting findings or contributing to educational activities.
• Self-directed learning: Exploring clinical questions through independent research and reflection.

The good news? You don’t need to squeeze all 20 hours into lengthy courses or conferences. Spreading your learning throughout the year makes CPD much more manageable.

Even setting aside 30 minutes each week to read research or watch an educational video can help you work towards your annual target.

Can physiotherapists complete their CPD online?

Absolutely! You can complete your physiotherapy CPD online.

For busy clinicians, online learning offers some obvious advantages – there’s no travel, no need to rearrange your patient schedule and no pressure to replace your social life with an entire weekend of PD.

You can learn at your own pace, whether that’s watching a clinical demonstration during your lunch break or catching up on research after work.

Online CPD also makes it easier to focus on topics relevant to the patients you’re treating, helping you translate new knowledge into clinical practice.

How to record CPD as a physiotherapist

Completing CPD is one thing, but it’s equally important you don’t forget to document it!

The Physiotherapy Board requires physiotherapists to maintain a CPD portfolio, which may be requested if you’re selected for an audit.

To keep your portfolio organised, record:

1. Activity details: What did you complete, and when?
2. Time spent: How many hours did you spend learning?
3. Learning goals: What were you hoping to improve?
4. Reflection: What did you learn, and how might it influence your practice?
5. Supporting evidence: Keep certificates, attendance records or other relevant documentation.

For example, after watching an online lecture, record your key takeaways and how you might apply them with your patients.

Physio Network’s CPD Tracker (available to all members) automatically records your CPD activities in one place, making it easy to keep track of your CPD and provide documentation if you’re ever audited.

You should retain your CPD records for five years. Keeping them updated as you go will save you a headache when registration renewal comes around!

How Physio Network can help

Physio Network makes it easy for busy physiotherapists to stay up to date with the latest research, learn from world-leading experts, and complete their CPD requirements without spending hours searching for quality educational resources.

With a range of flexible online learning options, you can choose how you want to learn:

• Research Reviews: Stay up to date with the latest clinically relevant research without spending hours reading journal articles.
• Masterclasses: Dive deep into specific clinical topics through comprehensive lectures taught by world-leading experts.
• Practicals: Watch experts demonstrate hands-on assessment and treatment techniques you can apply in clinical practice.
• Case Studies: Develop your clinical reasoning and decision-making skills through real patient cases.

Each course on Physio Network includes a quiz and certificate of completion to help you document your CPD.

Completing your CPD doesn’t have to be another chore on your to-do list. With Physio Network, you can build your clinical knowledge, improve your patient care, and work towards meeting your annual CPD requirements, all at your own pace.