FAQs & Answers (2023-2025)

FAQ and Answers are based on the Principles and Guidelines on Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for 2023-2025.

The new CME/CPD cycle from 2023-2025 has commenced on 1st January 2023. This is a 3-year cycle in which 15 active CPD points are mandatory. The College revised the Principles and Guidelines on CME/CPD for 2023-2025. This change and framework aimed to be in line with the latest version of the Academy’s guidelines by amending the maximum points to be added for accrediting certain CME/CPD activities.

FAQ and answers are based on the Principles and Guidelines on Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of the Hong Kong College of Otorhinolaryngologists for the 2023-2025 cycle for your reference. Please feel free to contact our College Secretariat at 2871-8733 for further inquiries.

Question 1: What are Active CPD and Passive CME activities?

Question 2: How can I gain CME/CPD points?

Online/Physical attendance of ENT lecture/seminar/course/conference/meeting (1 passive point per hour) or non-ENT related lecture/seminar/course/conference/meeting (0.5 passive point per hour).

• Online/Physical attendance of a local or overseas ENT lecture/seminar/course/conference/meeting can be awarded a maximum of 20 passive points per meeting.

• Studying an ENT or Non-ENT journal paper, book chapter, audiovisual materials or internet publication and submitting a written summary of not less than 100 words will be awarded one active point per article.

• Correctly answering the test questions after online/physical attendance of ENT lecture/seminar/course/conference/meeting or the CME Quiz after reading medical journals with scores over 75% will be awarded one active point.

• Online/Physical attendance of College held webinar session/CPD seminar or discussion forum will be awarded one active point per hour.

• Online/Physical presenting in a College approved webinar session/lecture/seminar/course/ conference/meeting will be awarded five active CPD points per event day.

1. The HKCORL Secretariat should automatically record your online participation by using Zoom Webinar. Please click the registration link provided and enter your FULLNAME and EMAIL ADDRESS to complete your registration, so that we can identify and record your attendance.
   OR
   The HKCORL Secretariat should provide an attendance record sheet on the registration table. Please remember to write your name in BLOCK letters clearly and sign in at the appropriate space on the attendance sheet.
2. An online quiz will be available after each activity. Fellows can answer the questions by accessing the online materials on the College webpage at www.hkcorl.org.hk.

1. The organizer should submit the application for CME/CPD accreditation together with a relevant detailed programme to the College at least 14 days prior to the event day by post, fax or email. Once the programme is approved by the CME/CPD subcommittee, an official confirmation will be issued to the organizer. The organizer shall provide the generated online attendance (login-in & login-out time of online participants) or name lists of participants to be certified by the authorized person, and copies of the evaluation form or online quiz to the College Secretariat for record purposes.
   OR
2. An individual fellow could submit the application for CME/CPD accreditation by providing the documented proof with a relevant detailed programme to our College Secretariat, such as a confirmation email, a certificate of attendance, a letter of verification from the activity organizer, or a copy of your presenting article or manuscript showing author, title and publication names, etc., and complete the CME/CPD claim form (Appendix I). The College Secretariat will circulate the above to the CME/CPD subcommittee for evaluation of CME points. A written confirmation will be sent to the applicant by post, fax or email within 14 working days upon approval.

1. The organizer should submit the application for CME/CPD accreditation together with a relevant detailed programme to the College at least 14 days prior to event day by post, fax or email. Once the programme is approved by the CME/CPD subcommittee, an official confirmation will be issued to the organizer. The organizer shall require providing the signed attendance record to be certified by the authorized person, and copies of their evaluation form or on-line quiz, if any to the College Secretariat for record purpose. Please remember to write down your name in BLOCK letters clearly and sign in at the appropriate space of the attendance sheet.
   OR
2. An individual fellow could submit the application for CME/CPD accreditation by providing the documented proof with a relevant detailed programme to our College Secretariat, such as an confirmation email, certificate of attendance, letter of verification from activity organizer, or a copy of your presenting article or manuscript showing author, title and publication names, etc., and complete the CME/CPD claim form (Appendix I). The College Secretariat will circulate the above to the CME/CPD subcommittee for evaluation of CME points. A written confirmation will be sent to the applicant by post, fax or email within 14 working days upon approval.

Question 4: Can I earn the CME/CPD points for overseas course/lecture/seminar/ conference/meeting?

1. The organizer could submit the application for CME/CPD accreditation together with a relevant detailed programme, to the College at least 14 days prior to the event day by post, fax or email. The CME/CPD subcommittee will consider the application on a case-by-case basis.
   OR

2. An individual fellow could submit the application for CME/CPD accreditation by providing the documented proof with a relevant detailed programme to our College Secretariat, such as an confirmation email, certificate of attendance, letter of verification from activity organizer, or a copy of your presenting article or manuscript showing author, title and publication names, etc., and complete the CME/CPD claim form (Appendix I). The College Secretariat will circulate the above to the CME/CPD subcommittee for evaluation of CME points. A written confirmation will be sent to the applicant by post, fax or email within 14 working days upon approval.

Question 5: Are any minimum or maximum points required to be reported on a yearly basis?

For our College, there is no requirement for a minimum number or a limit on the maximum number of CME/CPD points to be achieved each year.

Question 6: What happens if I fail to acquire 90 points in a cycle?

You will be considered as non-compliant with the requirement, which may have serious consequence. There are two categories of non-compliance: Remediable and Non-remediable non-compliance. Remediable non-compliance refers to acquiring more than 60 points but less than 90 points. Fellows in this category must submit an explanation and a proposal for a remedial program within two weeks to the Education Committee of the HKCORL for endorsement. These fellows must make up the deficiency within 12 months while undergoing regular and remedial CME/CPD activities. Non-remediable non-compliance refers to acquiring less than 60 points in a cycle without acceptable reasons. In such cases, a recommendation for Fellowship suspension will be made to the HKAM.