Abstract
This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. There is a growing worldwide awareness in the field of health professions education and research that a successful implementation of competency-based medical education (CBME) requires embracing all stages of professional development (from undergraduate, through residency to continuing education). However, despite increased levels of cognizance and even enthusiasm about the importance of the entire continuum for the ultimate goal of improved healthcare, much work still remains as CBME principles are not widely adopted in continuing professional development (CPD). Much has been written about the process of competency-based curriculum development (e.g., the formation and development of meaningful and measurable outcomes) in undergraduate studies and postgraduate training, but not in CPD. If we expect a CPD curriculum to integrate CBME, competencies must be developed and clearly specified how they will fit into a coherent and implementable curriculum structure. In this article, we describe existing practices some educational institutions have, including our experiences in the Office of CPD at the University of Ottawa, Canada, in designing a competency-based curriculum and provide 12 tips for those who begin their journey of organizing, developing, and implementing such curricula. We conclude that in order to translate a competency-based approach into CPD, educational programs will have to refine curricula across health professionals' education using curriculum mapping as an important tool of curriculum development and evaluation.
Highlights
We described the essential steps in designing a competency-based continuing professional development (CPD) curriculum and offer tips for a successful organization, development, and implementation of such curricula
The suggestions stem from relevant literature as well as the authors’ own experiences of implementing a competency-based CPD curriculum in the field of family medicine
Effective CPD that is based on the competency framework and emphasizes quality improvement efforts during the practice years is vital for all healthcare providers as it promotes lifelong learning, practice-based change, and improved clinical outcomes (Kitto et al, 2013; Sargeant, Bruce and Campbell, 2013; Eva et al, 2016; Lockyer et al, 2017)
Summary
Once the competency framework and the questions have been developed, the step consists of identifying the right metrics for the data gathering phase (Kelley et al, 2008; Willett, 2008), specifying the sequence of the mapping exercise, and establishing a common understanding of terms and processes (Rawle et al, 2017) These consistent definitions are important for maintaining interrater reliability among the faculty members who will be mapping the outcomes (or content) to their courses (Kelley et al, 2008). The course objectives are mapped to the competencies, and the gaps in the curriculum are determined, the members of the expert committee need to develop an implementation plan for any expected curriculum changes or improvements (Kelley et al, 2008) It ensures that the map is part of a process of continuous curricular improvement and not an exercise in data gathering. Implementing the plan does not assure success or reduce the obstacles arising from resistance to change, but it can remind all stakeholders of the common goal underlying the project and provide tools for assessing new practices (Lachiver and Tardif, 2002)
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