Obtaining consensus on core clinical skills for training in family medicine

Abstract

AbstractBackground: Specialist registrar training in family medicine became a requirement in South Africa in August 2007. As part of the process of developing consensus on the content of training, heads of departments of family medicine agreed to a process for seeking national consensus on the skills required of a graduating family physician. A previously reported research project produced a set of skills lists that were used as the basis for this process.Methods: The skills lists derived from the previous research were sent to all eight departments of family medicine in South Africa. The lists detailed (1) skills that should be performed independently at the end of training, (2) elective skills, (3) skills on which no consensus could be reached and (4) skills that should be performed under supervision during training. The departments were asked to discuss these skills and give consensus feedback on them, with the aim of narrowing down the lists to either (1) core or (2) elective skills.Results: Seven of ...