It's always a joy to sit down and try to work out what I've learned in reading the latest edition of Education and Practice. Although my pre-consultant training took place at a time when portfolios were just emerging and taking form—and, in first drafts I'm pleased to recall included acetates or ‘flimsies’—the learning diary is still something I have to actively think to do, rather than do naturally. In the UK the General Medical Council (GMC) has just published new advice on Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and is quite specific in stating that ‘You must reflect on what you have learnt through your CPD and record any impact (or expected future impact) on your performance and practice’. My challenge is that the things I find myself learning are often a bit more esoteric. So, for example, I went to a medical …