APD Program

DAA’s Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) Program is the main channel for continuing professional development (CPD) activities for dietitians. CPD is an integral part of being a professional.

Most new APDs are required to complete a provisional year, which includes CPD and a minimum 52 week mentoring partnership. There is an alternative process to achieve full status for experienced and practising dietitians who meet strict eligibility criteria. 

DAA encourages all APDs to undertake a range of CPD activities as part of their CPD plan. Effective adult learning involves being actively engaged in the learning process.  

Modules in the APD Program

The APD program has seven modules, which outline the range of possible CPD activity types. APDs are not required to complete activities in each module but are encouraged to take part in a broad range of learning experiences and approaches. 

The seven modules are:

  1. Professional Education – Non Assessed (capped at 20 hours per year)
  2. Professional Education - Assessed
  3. Self-study activities (capped at 20 hours per year)
  4. Evidence based activity
  5. Mentee / mentor activity
  6. Quality improvement activity
  7. DAA strategic activity

All APDs must log at least 30 hours of CPD every year.

APDs can log as many hours as they desire in all but two module areas: ‘Professional education – non-assessed’ and ‘Self-study activities’ are each capped at 20 hours a year. This is to encourage APDs to approach CPD broadly and to focus, where possible, on active forms of CPD that have been shown to have better learning outcomes. 

Practice development areas in the APD Program

The five practice development areas link directly to the DAA Advanced Practitioner (AdvAPD) framework. They allow APDs to plan a comprehensive approach to their professional development. Over time this approach can assist APDs in developing the breadth of knowledge and skills required by the Advanced APD Program. 

The practice development areas are:

  1. Leadership & Influence: activities that develop leadership and strategic thinking skills and increase capacity to lead positive change for nutrition and dietetics, to lead effective teams  and to be influential in organisations
  2. Professional Competence: activities that develop your expertise in dietetic practice which include excellence in practice
  3. Research & Evaluation: activities that develop research and evaluation skills including research and evaluation in everyday practice
  4. Education, supervision and mentoring: activities that develop skills in supervision, mentoring and education and training
  5. Strategic and reflective approaches: activities that develop skills in quality improvement, planning and strategic approaches to service development. 

Join the APD Program today!