Maintenance of Skills for Today's Family Physician: The SAGE Approach to Physician Learning

Abstract

Physicians need practical ways to maintain and augment clinical skills after residency training. The problem is amplified when a physician encounters a new practice environment that requires retraining in particular skills. With their broad scope of practice, family physicians are especially prone to deterioration of infrequently used skills. The SAGE model for lifelong learning provides a simple solution for today's military family physicians. Scan, assess, gather, and experience are four key steps physicians should take when maintaining or upgrading clinical skills. This approach allows physicians to identify available resources and to develop action plans to improve skills. Supervisors must encourage physicians to be honest in self-assessment of patient care skills and should support the acquisition of improved skills. System-based solutions, in keeping with suggestions from the Institute of Medicine, are introduced.