Principles and Practice of Pharmaceutical Medicine

most effective solution to a learning need and,
through continued appraisal, realize that benefits
of training are evaluated beyond course satisfac-
tion.
The usual appraiser will be the line manager of
theappraisee,althoughitisimportantthatarelation-
ship exists between these two and the sponsor com-
pany departments of human resources and training.
Often, the latter belongs to the same department. A
company template for appraisal and subsequent
training plans – a career plan – is likely to be in
place to enable consistency and efficient measure-
ment across individuals, teams and departments. If
working individually without a career plan, it may
be worth using such an example as a guide.
Whether an appraiser or an appraisee, the first
training to be undertaken may well be a short
course ensuring everyone uses the appraisal pro-
cess in the same manner.
The appraisal will cover many more areas than
training and development needs, for example per-
formance output and relationships, yet ultimately
outcomes from appraisal will focus around the
careers plan and what has to be done to achieve
agreed goals. The training cycle remains the same,
and the five categories listed under induction may
also be used to cover more focused training needs.
At appraisal, it is important to recognise that it is
not only the appraisee who is being measured.
Appraisal is an opportunity to record and assess
support and performance of the appraiser, other
staff and the training personnel, perhaps through
use of multisource feedback (360assessment).

2.3 Continuing professional

development

A personal ‘syllabus’ will develop through fre-
quent appraisals leading to a continual personal
development programme. When this begins to
include acquired further qualifications and for-
mally evaluated course work, it may be called a
CPD plan. Many supporting professional bodies in
pharmaceutical medicine provide extensive litera-
ture on personal CPD plans, some of which are
mandatory.

CPD is a useful tool for identifying and measur-

ing ‘lifelong learning’; in other words, it can be

described as the data that supports the curriculum

vitae and gives direction to the career plan.

CPD allows for:

planning short-term learning needs;

recognising previously unseen learning oppor-

tunities;

involving the employer to match personal needs

with business needs;

collating a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate

competencies;

keeping up to date with the chosen profession;

collating a portable record of progress and

achievement;

increasing awareness of potential career options;

analysing strengths and weaknesses;

reflecting on learning and promoting self-aware-

ness and motivation;

focusing on development needs and career ambi-

tions.

Regulations and training records

Aside from personal development needs and the

business requirements of corporate progress, the

pharmaceutical industry is one of the most highly

regulated in the world. The strict regulation

extends to matters concerning training and devel-

opment, and the majority of disciplines will find

themselves governed by formal guidelines and

legal requirements for the quality and quantity of

training before and during the specific function. In

the scientific areas, these are usually as GXPs such

as Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) or Good Clin-

ical Practice (GCP), whilst sales and marketing

personnel have to adhere strictly to Codes of

18 CH2 PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICINE AS A MEDICAL SPECIALTY