Current state analysis of Competency-Based Medical Education
In early 2019, an AMC Working Group on Competency-based Medical Education, chaired by Professor Nicholas Glasgow was established. The purpose of this group was to update the 2010 AMC position on Competency-Based Medical Education.
All Australian and New Zealand Medical Education Providers were invited to undertake a survey. The survey was distributed to all medical education providers in Australia and New Zealand across the Continuum of Medical education. Response rate to the survey questions varied and generally reflects a response rate of 33/62 provider responses, representing 53.2%.
The purpose of this survey was to undertake a current state analysis of Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) in terms of the terminology usage, uptake, barriers and challenges and preferred support of medical education providers across the medical education in Australia and New Zealand.
The survey found that whilst 67 percent of Colleges used the terminology CBME to describe their medical education programs, medical schools and intern training used the language of CBME only 38 and 33 percent respectively.
By contrast, overwhelmingly providers strongly agreed and strongly agreed that the principles of CBME are useful in medical education.
In terms of uptake of the key components of Medical Education based CBME 34 percent of providers are in progress, or partial implementation. 18.75 percent have fully implemented CBME and a further 18.79 percent have considered but not progressed. Only 6.29 percent have not considered CBME as an option in their medical education programs.
Benefits of CBME
CBME provides a framework to improve transition points throughout training – basic, advanced and through to CPD
Focus on outcomes achieves constructive curriculum alignment
Integral to workplace improvements in medical education
Integral to operationalisation of lifelong learning – with competencies clarifies expectations for all the stages of professional learning i.e. entry, training, assessment and maintenance of competence
Challenges of CBME
The continuum is hampered by governance of three seperate entities of – medical schools, medical council and specialist Colleges
Impact and implementation is challenging
Learners may need to take more responsibility and ownership for training and learning
Providers need to move beyond a “tick box” model of education
CPD needs to move in this direction with a more outcomes focus
Providers ranked barrier and complexities of CBME as follows:
- Rank 1: Paucity of Resources
- Rank 2: Collaboration difficulties
- Rank 3: Reducing dependency on time
- Rank 4: Implementation
- Rank 5: Evidence of Effectiveness
- Rank 6: Perceived lack of relevance
Providers indicated that they would like further support from the AMC in standards and best practice guides to support them further in innovating in medical education and implementation of CBME. Workshops and advocacy support for resources and capability were also seen by providers to be important.
The next steps for the AMC CBME Working Group will be to undertake focus groups to further explore themes, prepare a report on CBME mid-2020, share results at National and International Medical Education Conferences, and use results to inform future directions in other key AMC projects including standards review, the Postgraduate Intern Training Review and support for providers on medical education innovation.
Page Created 29 Oct 2019 | Page Updated 27 Nov 2019