This is the story of how HealthProfessionalCPD came about …
Once upon a time there were two graduate students – Rob Moran and Nic Lucas. In 1997 they became good friends and together launched a new health science publication that has since become a leading international journal. They’re still involved as editors.
They finished their studies together in Melbourne and moved to different cities – Rob moved to Auckland, New Zealand, and Nic moved to Sydney, Australia. Both of them followed similar paths by setting up private practices and teaching part time at University.
Both have an insatiable appetite for continued learning. Rob increased his involvement at University and soon became the program leader for the Master of Osteopathy at Unitec, New Zealand. Nic completed a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology and then another Masters Degree in Pain Medicine, and teaches at the University of Western Sydney.
Both are enrolled in PhD programs. Rob is studying at the University of Auckland and Nic is studying at the University of Sydney.
Both have over 10 years of teaching and research experience in tertiary education and have always maintained contact with patients in private practice. This has ensured that their teaching and learning remain relevant and anchored in the ‘real world’.
In 2003, while they were busy with private practice, university lecturing, research, journal work and young babies, they decided there was some spare time to start an online education website. And so they undertook another massive learning curve – and one that hasn’t flattened out. After a number of false starts, and sacrificed $$$, they finally cracked the code and created HealthProfessionalCPD.com – and they think that it’s a thing of beauty.
During this period of time (2003 – 2009), the internet changed dramatically – and this has required more learning and understanding. Web 2.0 is for Rob and Nic like mud is to pigs.
Nic loves the way that Web 2.0 provides individuals with autonomy, power and freedom.
“Web 2.0 is about individual people, not corporations or bureaucracies.” “People, who would ordinarily have limited influence, can now magnify their influence exponentially.” “Never before has the opportunity for learning and the communication of ideas been so profound.”
For Rob and Nic, HealthProfessionalCPD has only just started. Their vision – in typical form – is large. A vision to “create an international online community of health professionals who are engaged in social learning and communication and whose ‘imprint’ on the world of health care is significant”.