Professional Development

CPD Period & Definitions

The annual CPD period runs from April to October (6 months).

CPD - Core Professional Development

Structured content provided by SNA annually. Required for Provisional members only.

APD - Additional Professional Development

Activities sourced from approved categories. Open members have flexibility in how they source their APD hours.

Annual Requirements by Registration Level

All members must complete 20 hours of professional development annually.

Component	Provisional - ASN (P)	Open - ASN (O)
SNA-provided CPD	5 hours (N/A if in open pathway)	5 hours (optional)
Mentorship Workshops	4 hours (50% attendance of 6 sessions)	-
Conference (every 3 years)	10 hours	10 hours
Annual Audit	1 hour	1 hour
Flexible APD	N/A (5 hours if in open pathway)	4–9 hours
Total	20 hours	20 hours

Provisional Members - ASN (P)

Fixed professional development pathway with structured, required components.

SNA-Provided CPD 5 hours

Annual content covering core competencies, delivered by SNA. This structured content ensures all provisional members maintain a baseline of current knowledge in sports nutrition practice.

Mentorship Workshops 4 hours

6 sessions per year, minimum 50% attendance (3 sessions). Each session is approximately 1 hour. Mentorship workshops provide guided professional development under experienced practitioners.

Conference Attendance 10 hours / year

Required every 3 years (30 hours total = 10 hours/year equivalent). Approved conferences include the SNA Annual Conference and SDA Conference.

Conference audience during a professional development presentation

Open Members - ASN (O)

Greater flexibility in professional development. Required components plus flexible APD sourced from at least two of three categories.

Conference Attendance 10 hours / year

Same as provisional members - required every 3 years (30 hours total). Approved: SNA Annual Conference, SDA Conference.

Annual Audit 1 hour

Risk assessment screening results and annual member survey. Ensures ongoing compliance and quality assurance.

Flexible APD 4–9 hours

Source hours from at least two of the following three categories:

Category 1: Structured Learning

SNA monthly digital events and tutorials
SNA 6-monthly breakfast/brunch events
Accredited workshops
University short courses
Online learning modules

Category 2: Practice-Based & Reflective

Peer supervision
Research & reading
Client resources
Quality improvement

Category 3: Contribution

Mentoring
Presenting
Publishing
Committee work

Open Accredited Members Professional Development Pathway

SNA recognises members with other professional bodies. If you're an openly accredited member who is also registered with a professional association in the exercise or nutrition space that requires a degree minimum to be a member, then the activities that you do within that association for professional development can be cross credited to your flexible APD.

1

Submit Your Plan

At the start of the CPD period, submit your proposed plan outlining activities from other associations.

2

Complete Activities

Complete your planned professional development activities across both associations.

3

Submit Evidence

Provide evidence of completion from your other association(s).

4

SNA Assessment

SNA reviews and determines the number of hours that can be counted.

5

Fill Any Gaps

Complete remaining hours through SNA-approved activities if needed.

Annual Professional Development Plan (PDP)

Required for all members at the beginning of each CPD period. Your PDP helps you set intentional goals and track meaningful progress.

Learning Goals

Identify 2–3 key areas you want to develop during the CPD period.

Proposed Activities

Outline how you plan to achieve your goals through specific activities.

Expected Outcome

Describe how completing these activities will benefit your clients, practice, or the profession.

Reflective Statements

For each activity logged, you'll complete a brief reflective statement covering:

What I did

Activity and date

What I learned

Key takeaways

How I applied / will apply this

Practical application

Link to my PDP

How this connects to stated goals

Login to your Member Account