Free CPD Log Template for Australian Health Professionals (2026)

Every registered health professional in Australia needs to track their CPD hours. AHPRA's National Boards require it. Audits happen. And if you can't produce a clear record of your professional development, your registration is at risk.

The good news is that tracking CPD doesn't need to be complicated — it just needs to be consistent. Whether you're a nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist, psychologist, or any other AHPRA-registered professional, a well-designed CPD log keeps you audit-ready all year round.

This article gives you a free CPD log template you can use right now, explains what a good CPD log should include, and covers why busy health professionals increasingly prefer dedicated apps over spreadsheets.

What Is a CPD Log?

A CPD log (also called a CPD record or CPD diary) is a structured record of all the professional development activities you complete during your registration year. It captures:

• What you did (the activity name and type)
• When you did it (date)
• How long it took (hours)
• Why it matters (relevance to your practice)
• What you learned (reflection)
• Evidence you completed it (certificate, notes, etc.)

Most National Boards don't prescribe a specific format — they care about the substance, not the spreadsheet. But if you're audited, you need to be able to produce this information on request.

Free CPD Log Template

Below is a CPD log structure you can copy into a spreadsheet, Word document, or Google Sheet. It covers the fields most National Boards look for during audit.

CPD Log Template — Column Headers

Field	Description
Date	Date the activity was completed
Activity Name	Name of the course, event, article, or activity
Activity Type	Formal / Informal / Peer review / Teaching / Research / QI (varies by profession)
Provider	Organisation that delivered the activity (or "self-directed")
Hours	Duration in hours (use decimals, e.g. 1.5)
Relevance to Practice	Brief note on how this activity relates to your scope of practice
Key Learning	What you took away from this activity
Evidence Type	Certificate, attendance record, notes, article reference, etc.
Evidence Stored	Where your evidence is filed (e.g. email folder, Google Drive, physical file)

Sample Completed Entries

Entry 1:

• Date: 15/03/2026
• Activity Name: Wound Care Management Workshop
• Activity Type: Formal — face-to-face
• Provider: Australian Wound Management Association
• Hours: 3.5
• Relevance: I manage wound care for post-surgical patients regularly; this updated my knowledge of evidence-based dressings
• Key Learning: Updated guidance on negative pressure wound therapy; changed my dressing selection protocol
• Evidence Type: Certificate of attendance
• Evidence Stored: Google Drive > CPD 2026 folder

Entry 2:

• Date: 02/04/2026
• Activity Name: Reading: NEJM article on antimicrobial resistance
• Activity Type: Informal — self-directed reading
• Provider: Self-directed
• Hours: 0.75
• Relevance: Directly relevant to prescribing decisions in my practice
• Key Learning: Reviewed updated resistance patterns; flagged for discussion at next team meeting
• Evidence Type: Personal notes
• Evidence Stored: CPD log notes column

Entry 3:

• Date: 22/04/2026
• Activity Name: Case discussion with colleague — complex patient presentation
• Activity Type: Peer review
• Provider: Internal (colleague)
• Hours: 1.0
• Relevance: Complex co-morbidity management outside my usual scope; peer input was essential
• Key Learning: Identified gap in my knowledge of medication interactions — plan to complete online module
• Evidence Type: Personal notes with colleague name
• Evidence Stored: CPD log notes column

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What Makes a Good CPD Log?

A log that satisfies an AHPRA audit isn't just a list of courses and hour counts. Here's what separates a solid CPD record from one that creates problems during audit.

1. Consistent logging throughout the year

The biggest mistake health professionals make is leaving their CPD log until the end of the year — or only updating it before registration renewal. Memories fade. Certificates get lost. Hours are harder to reconstruct.

Log each activity within a day or two of completing it. It takes two minutes per entry and saves hours of stress at renewal time.

2. Relevance statements, not just activity names

"Conference attendance — 4 hours" tells an auditor nothing useful. "Attended the 2026 Pharmacy Guild Conference — completed four sessions on antimicrobial stewardship and medication adherence, directly applicable to my community pharmacy practice" tells a story.

Your relevance and key learning notes are what demonstrate that your CPD was meaningful, not just a box-ticking exercise.

3. Evidence for every entry

You don't need to submit evidence proactively, but you need to be able to produce it. For each activity, note:

• What type of evidence exists (certificate, receipt, notes, email confirmation)
• Where it's stored

A log entry without traceable evidence is a liability in audit.

4. Balance across CPD types

Most National Boards require a mix of CPD activity types — not just formal courses. If your log is 18 entries and every single one is a webinar, that may raise questions during audit even if you've hit the hour requirement.

Aim for a natural mix: some formal education, some informal reading and learning, some peer review or case discussion, and where relevant, teaching or research.

5. Hours that add up correctly

This sounds obvious, but hour calculations in manual logs often contain errors — especially when activities span multiple days or when workshops include lunch breaks. Keep your hour entries granular and double-check the total before renewal.

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CPD Requirements by Profession (Quick Reference)

Different National Boards have different CPD requirements. Use this as a starting point, and always verify with your specific board:

Profession	Board	Hours (approx.)	Cycle
Registered Nurse / Enrolled Nurse / Midwife	NMBA	20 hours	Annual
Medical Practitioner (Doctor)	Medical Board of Australia	50 hours	Annual
Pharmacist	Pharmacy Board of Australia	40 hours	Annual
Physiotherapist	Physiotherapy Board of Australia	20+ hours	Annual
Psychologist	Psychology Board of Australia	30 hours	Annual
Dentist	Dental Board of Australia	60 hours	Annual
Occupational Therapist	OT Board of Australia	30 hours	Annual
Optometrist	Optometry Board of Australia	75 hours	3-year cycle
Podiatrist	Podiatry Board of Australia	30 hours	Annual
Chiropractor	Chiropractic Board of Australia	25 hours	Annual
Medical Radiation Practitioner	MRP Board of Australia	30 hours	Annual

Always check the current requirements on the relevant AHPRA National Board page as requirements can change.

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The Problem with Spreadsheet CPD Logs

A spreadsheet template is a fine starting point. But as your CPD log grows, spreadsheets create real problems for busy health professionals.

No reminders

A spreadsheet doesn't know it's August and you've only logged 6 of your required 20 hours. It sits silently while you fall behind.

No running total

You have to manually sum your hours and check whether you're on track — and the formula breaks if you accidentally delete a row.

Evidence isn't attached

Your spreadsheet has a note saying "certificate in Google Drive," but that certificate may be in a different folder, renamed, or in a different email account by the time you need it.

Hard to share or export

If you need to send your CPD log to your registration board during an audit, exporting a spreadsheet as a professional PDF is cumbersome. Formatting varies, totals may not be obvious, and you may need to manually create a summary.

Easy to lose

One corrupted file, one laptop that doesn't sync to cloud, one password forgotten — and your CPD record for the year is gone.

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Why Health Professionals Are Moving to CPD Apps

Dedicated CPD tracking apps solve all of the above problems, and they're increasingly how Australian health professionals manage their records.

A good CPD app should:

• Let you log activities quickly on your phone or computer
• Track your progress toward your annual hour target automatically
• Send reminders when you're behind or approaching renewal time
• Generate a clean, audit-ready PDF report whenever you need it
• Keep your records safe in the cloud

CPDKeep is designed specifically for Australian AHPRA-registered health professionals. It supports all the major National Boards, understands CPD activity types for each profession, and generates professional audit reports with one click.

What CPDKeep gives you

• Free tier: Unlimited activity logging, running hour total, basic dashboard — no credit card required
• Pro tier ($5/month): Downloadable audit-ready PDF report, email reminders when you're behind on hours
• Business tier ($10/month): Everything in Pro, plus CPD planner and team-level visibility (great for practice managers)

If you're currently using a spreadsheet, moving to CPDKeep takes about ten minutes. You can enter your year-to-date activities, set your profession and hour target, and immediately see where you stand.

Try CPDKeep free — no credit card needed

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How to Use This Template Right Now

Here's the simplest way to start tracking CPD today:

Option A — Spreadsheet:

1. Open Google Sheets or Excel
2. Create columns matching the template above
3. Add a SUM formula at the bottom of your hours column
4. Log each activity as you complete it
5. Keep it open as a pinned browser tab

Option B — CPDKeep:

1. Create a free account at cpdkeep.com.au
2. Select your profession and registration board
3. Start logging activities — each entry takes under a minute
4. Check your dashboard to see progress against your target
5. Download your audit report whenever you need it

Either way, the most important thing is to start now and stay consistent. CPD compliance is never a problem for health professionals who log as they go — it only becomes a problem when you try to reconstruct a year of learning from memory.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does AHPRA require a specific CPD log format?

No. AHPRA's National Boards do not mandate a specific format for CPD records. What matters is that your records clearly demonstrate the activities completed, hours spent, relevance to practice, and learning outcomes — and that you can produce evidence if audited.

How long should I keep my CPD records?

Most National Boards recommend keeping CPD records for at least five years. Some audit windows can look back multiple registration cycles, so retaining records from previous years protects you.

Can I include informal activities like reading journals or case discussions?

Yes — informal activities such as self-directed reading, peer discussions, case reviews, and online research count as CPD for most professions. The key is to log them with sufficient detail: what you read or discussed, how long it took, and what you learned.

What if I'm registered with more than one National Board?

You'll need to meet the CPD requirements for each board separately. Log activities by board/profession type to keep your records clean, and note if an activity applies to more than one scope.

Does CPDKeep work for all AHPRA professions?

Yes. CPDKeep supports all AHPRA-registered health professions, including nurses, doctors, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, optometrists, podiatrists, chiropractors, and medical radiation practitioners.

Is CPDKeep free to use?

CPDKeep has a free tier that lets you log unlimited CPD activities and track your hours. The Pro plan ($5/month or $50/year) adds audit-ready PDF reports and email reminders. There's no credit card required to start.

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Requirements can vary and change. Always verify your specific CPD requirements with your relevant AHPRA National Board. This article reflects requirements as understood in mid-2026.