Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for radiographers to maintain and update their specialised knowledge base in light of constant professional changes. CPD is the continuous and systematic maintenance, improvement, and broadening of knowledge and skills and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties. Professional and regulatory bodies are increasingly relying on proof of CPD through a variety of learning opportunities to provide evidence of clinical competence. Importantly, CPD has been linked not only to competence but also to motivation and job satisfaction. However, for CPD to be embraced fully, the individual needs to see how activity can be planned and recorded in a way that is meaningful to them in the context of their career aspirations. This article will review basic principles of why evidence is needed for CPD, what constitutes evidence (direct and indirect), and how that evidence can be presented. This will be discussed in the context of having a longer-term career vision, and embedded within Donner and Wheeler's five-phase career planning and development model. R ESUM E Le perfectionnement professionnel continu (PPC) est essentiel pour permettre aux radiographes de maintenir et de mettre a jour leur base de connaissances sp ecialis ees au vu de l' evolution continuelle de la profession. Le PPC est « l'entretien, l'am elioration et l' elargissement continu et syst ematique des connaissances et des comp etences et le d eveloppement des qualit es personnelles requises pour l'ex ecution des tâches professionnelles et techniques » Henwood (2000). Les organismes professionnels et r eglementaires s'appuient de plus en plus sur les preuves de PPC par une vari et e d'occasions d'apprentissage dans la d etermination de la comp etence clinique. Il est important de noter que le PPC est li e non seulement aux comp etences, mais aussi a la motivation et a la satisfaction au travail. Cependant, pour que le PPC soit adopt e pleinement, l'individu doit pouvoir constater de quelle façon les activit es peuventêtre planifi ees et consign ees d'une façon significative pour lui dans le contexte de des aspirations de carri ere. Cet article passe en revue les principes de base autour desquels s'articule le besoin de preuves du PPC, ce qui constitue une preuve (directe ou indirecte) et comment ces preuves peuventêtre pr esent ees. Ces el ements sont trait es dans le contexte d'une vision de carri ere a long terme, et inscrite dans le mod ele de planification et d eveloppement de carri ere en cinq phases d evelopp e par Donner & Wheeler (2001).

Patient perceived perceptions of psychosocial support are increasingly important to understanding appropriate holistic patient-centred care. Information is scarce regarding the attitudes of female cancer patients in Arab and Muslim populations. This study was undertaken in the State of Qatar among female cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate what extent women undergoing cancer treatment in the State of Qatar view the importance of psychosocial support? Another aim of this study was to determine which demographic indicators, if any, may predict for certain preferences in support. The authors hypothesized that a majority of female cancer patients will perceive psychosocial support as an important aspect. This study used English and Arabic questionnaires to glean data from female cancer patients attending clinics at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research in Doha, Qatar. For the purpose of this study, psychosocial support was defined under four categories: 1) family support, 2) religious/spiritual support, 3) support groups 4) physician referred support. Results showed that 88% of female respondents rated psychosocial support categories as important. There was no significance between patient demographics and specific preferences for the support categories in the study. This study may provide some areas for future research that may shape guidelines for improving holistic patient care and in assisting the Supreme Health Council in meeting its targets for the Qatar National Cancer strategy, which states that cancer treatment should be patient-centred focusing on both medical and psychosocial needs of patients.

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