Healthcare professionals’ perceptions of a new continuing professional development system: barriers and recommendations from Jordan

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an evidence-based requirement for professionals working in healthcare systems across the world. In the last 10 years, several lower- and middle-income countries, including Jordan, have introduced CPD systems for licence renewal. This study aimed to assess healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding CPD, as well as perceived barriers to CPD activity completion and recommendations for improvement. An online survey study was conducted with healthcare professionals from across sectors (government, private, educational, military and non-profit) in Jordan. A self-administered survey was used to collect data between December 2024 and March 2025. Knowledge and practices were measured using ‘yes/no’ questionnaires, while attitudes and barriers were measured using a 5-point Likert scale. An open-ended question was included for recommendations for improvement. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, with one-way ANOVA used to assess differences between employment sectors. A total of 1002 healthcare professionals completed the survey. The mean knowledge score was 92% and the mean attitude score was 3.90 out of 5.00, indicating generally positive attitudes towards CPD. The most common CPD activity was attending local seminars (85.0%), while publishing articles was the least practised activity (44.9%). Some significant differences were found between employment sectors in terms of attitudes and perceived barriers. The two greatest barriers reported by participants were a lack of quality learning activities availability and family responsibilities. All barriers were rated ‘moderate’. Healthcare staff demonstrated high levels of knowledge, fairly favourable attitudes and active engagement in CPD, but barriers to completing these activities exist. These findings can provide key insights for leaders and policy makers to improve the effectiveness of, and access to, CPD in Jordan and beyond. Development of a wider range of accessible CPD activities, including online delivery, with a digital platform to help healthcare professionals track and manage their hours, could help to increase engagement and improve perceptions of CPD. Financial costs to healthcare professionals also need to be considered.