Competency-based Learning Objectives Research Articles

Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery in undergraduate medical education: advances and innovations.

Medical students graduate with the knowledge and skills to be undifferentiated general physicians. Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OtoHNS) is an essential component of primary healthcare, but is disproportionately under-represented in undergraduate medical education (UME). Advances and innovations in educational technology may represent an exciting and creative solution to this important problem. Failure to meet this educational need will result in substantial downstream effects in primary healthcare delivery. The objectives of this study were to 1) demonstrate current deficits in OtoHNS teaching at the UME level; 2) develop, validate, and critically appraise educational innovations that may enrich OtoHNS teaching in medical school curricula; and 3) propose a process for standardization of learning objectives for OtoHNS in UME as it relates to development and deployment of such educational tools. A white paper, prepared as a Triological Society thesis, which consolidates a prospective 10-year investigation of the problem of and potential solutions for under-representation of OtoHNS in UME. Cited datasets include multicenter surveys, cohort studies, and prospective, randomized controlled trials. A series of published and unpublished data were synthesized that addresses the following: 1) the current state of OtoHNS teaching at the UME level with respect to content, volume, structure, and methods; and 2) educational innovations including e-learning and simulation with emphasis on validity and learning effectiveness. Educational innovations specific to postgraduate (residency) training were excluded. Data support the observation that there is uniformly disproportionate under-representation of OtoHNS within UME curricula. Medical school graduates, especially those pursuing primary care specialties, report poor overall comfort levels in managing OtoHNS problems. A series of novel teaching methods were developed and validated using e-learning and simulation. Selected technologies may have a role in medical student teaching. It has been shown that e-learning has limited value in teaching complex spatial anatomy to novice learners, but good value in teaching basic clinical knowledge and selected technical skills. The role of simulation as it pertains to the novice learner is evolving. Important factors to consider during development of these tools include: 1) knowledge base and learning style of the learner, 2) complexity and nature of the learning objectives, 3) understanding the features and limitations of different technological genres, and 4) a team approach to module development. There remains a role for traditional teaching paradigms such as lectures, labs, and standardized patients; however, the choice of instructional genre should be fundamentally tailored to the nature of the learning outcomes. Enriching OtoHNS teaching in medical school is essential optimize primary care delivered to patients. Although e-learning and simulation are broadly accepted and desirable by today's medical students, these technologies should be woven into the fabric of UME pedagogical principles judiciously, and only after empiric assessment. Foundational to the development and implementation of these technologies is the framework of standardized competency-based learning objectives, common to all graduating medical students. NA

Weiterbildung – Kompetenzbasierte Weiterbildung – Lerntheorie und -praxis

A lifelong learning process is necessarily the basis for the specialization and expertise in the field of anesthesiology. Thus competency as a physician is a complex, multidimensional construction of knowledge, skills and attitudes to be able to solve and persist the complex daily work challenges in a flexible and responsible way. Experts therefore showflexible and intuitive capabilities in pursuing their profession. Accordingly modern competency based learning objectives are very helpful. The DGAI Commission for “Further Education” already thought ahead in defining a competencybased curriculum for the specialization in the field of anesthesiology and could be integrated into the frameworks of the German Medical Association. In addition to the curricular framework elements of assessment are necessary. A single oral exam is consequently not representative for different levels of competencies. However, there is beside the responsibility of the learners for their learning processalso a high obligation of the clinical teachers to attend the learning process and to ensure a positive learning atmosphere with scope for feedback. Some competencies potentially could be better learned in a “sheltered” room based on simulation outside the OR, for example to train rare incidents or emergency procedures. In general there should be ongoing effort to enhance the process of expertise development, also in context of patient safety and quality management.

Development of National Com -petency-based Learning Objectives “Medical Informatics” for Undergraduate Medical Education

The aim of this project is to develop a catalogue of competency-based learning objectives "Medical Informatics" for undergraduate medical education (abbreviated NKLM-MI in German). The development followed a multi-level annotation and consensus process. For each learning objective a reason why a physician needs this competence was required. In addition, each objective was categorized according to the competence context (A = covered by medical informatics, B = core subject of medical informatics, C = optional subject of medical informatics), the competence level (1 = referenced knowledge, 2 = applied knowledge, 3 = routine knowledge) and a CanMEDS competence role (medical expert, communicator, collaborator, manager, health advocate, professional, scholar). Overall 42 objectives in seven areas (medical documentation and information processing, medical classifications and terminologies, information systems in healthcare, health telematics and telemedicine, data protection and security, access to medical knowledge and medical signal-/image processing) were identified, defined and consented. With the NKLM-MI the competences in the field of medical informatics vital to a first year resident physician are identified, defined and operationalized. These competencies are consistent with the recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA). The NKLM-MI will be submitted to the National Competence-Based Learning Objectives for Undergraduate Medical Education. The next step is implementation of these objectives by the faculties.

More than Four Decades of Medical Informatics Education for Medical Students in Germany

The publication of German competency-based learning objectives "Medical Informatics" for undergraduate medical education gives reason to report on more publications of the German journal GMS Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology ( MIBE ) in Methods. The publications in focus deal with support of medical education by health and biomedical informatics, hospital information systems and their relation to medical devices, transinstitutional health information systems and the need of national eHealth strategies, epidemiological research on predicting high consumption of resources, and with the interaction of epidemiologists and medical statisticians in examining mortality risks in diabetes, in genome wide association studies and in dealing with limits and thresholds. This report is the beginning of an annual series intending to support better international cooperation to achieve good information as a basis for good medicine and good healthcare.

The practial use of the consensus statement on practical skills in medical school--a validation study.

Objective: The importance of the acquisition of practical medical skills during medical school is increasing. With the consensus statement “Practical Skills,” developed by the GMA as part of the National Competency-Based Learning Objective Catalogue for Medicine (NKLM), a reference frame was created for the procurement of such skills. This frame consists of 290 learning objectives divided by “organ system,” type (core or elective learning objective), current stage of medical education and level of instruction. By comparing a large and well evaluated range of student tutorials with the consensus statement, one can analyze the practical benefit of the statement, as well as evaluate the tutorial program for completeness. Methods: In the first stage, four evaluators in two groups independently classified all consensus statement’s learning objectives by each of the 48 tutorials currently offered. The inter-rater reliability among the evaluators of each group was calculated both collectively, and according to each organ system. In the second stage, disagreements in the classification were resolved through discussion and consensus decision-making. The coverage of the learning objectives by the tutorials, in the required level of instruction, was then analyzed separately by learning objective type and organ system. Reasons for any initial dissent were recorded and grouped thematically. Results: The correlation between the classifications of the two evaluators was moderately significant. The strength of this correlation, and thus the precision of individual learning goals wording, varied according to organ system. After a consensus was reached, the results show that the offered tutorials covered 66% of all learning objectives, as well as 74% of the core objectives. The degree of coverage differed according to organ system and stage of medical education. Conclusion: The consensus statement is suitable to systematically analyze and develop teaching units. The comparison with established curricula also offers possibilities for further development of the consensus statement, and therefore also of the NKLM.

A Proposed Model Curriculum in Global Child Health for Pediatric Residents

ObjectiveIn response to the increasing engagement in global health (GH) among pediatric residents and faculty, academic GH training opportunities are growing rapidly in scale and number. However, consensus to guide residency programs regarding best practice guidelines or model curricula has not been established. We aimed to highlight critical components of well-established GH tracks and develop a model curriculum in GH for pediatric residency programs. MethodsWe identified 43 existing formal GH curricula offered by U.S. pediatric residency programs in April 2011 and selected 8 programs with GH tracks on the basis of our inclusion criteria. A working group composed of the directors of these GH tracks, medical educators, and trainees and faculty with GH experience collaborated to develop a consensus model curriculum, which included GH core topics, learning modalities, and approaches to evaluation within the framework of the competencies for residency education outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. ResultsCommon curricular components among the identified GH tracks included didactics in various topics of global child health, domestic and international field experiences, completion of a scholarly project, and mentorship. The proposed model curriculum identifies strengths of established pediatric GH tracks and uses competency-based learning objectives. ConclusionsThis proposed pediatric GH curriculum based on lessons learned by directors of established GH residency tracks will support residency programs in creating and sustaining successful programs in GH education. The curriculum can be adapted to fit the needs of various programs, depending on their resources and focus areas. Evaluation outcomes need to be standardized so that the impact of this curriculum can be effectively measured.

Linking Residency Training Effectiveness to Clinical Outcomes: A Quality Improvement Approach

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)'s Outcome Project requires training programs to use external measures such as quality of care indicators to assess their effectiveness. A practical, quality improvement (QI) process was implemented at Henry Ford Hospital to enhance the training program's educational effectiveness and clinical outcomes. A QI process consisting ofa modified Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle was applied to residency and fellowship curricula in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). The PDSA activities focused on improving clinical outcomes but also outlined educational goals for residents and fellows, defined teaching methods, and determined assessment methods for the ACGME curricula. The improvement process linked clinical outcomes to specific competency-based educational objectives. Residents and fellows received instruction on QI and applied the new curricula to their clinical training in the MICU. Two of seven MICU clinical outcomes demonstrated initial performance below national benchmarks: iatrogenic pneumothorax rate and sepsis-specific mortality. During the QI process, clinical outcomes in both areas improved. Training program directors used the MICU clinical outcomes as indicators of their programs' educational effectiveness. They also assessed individual trainee performance in QI initiatives through direct observation and review of their written summaries of these projects. Training programs can use hospital-tracked clinical outcomes to analyze their educational strengths and weaknesses and accordingly to enhance their educational curricula. Linking competency-based learning objectives for trainees to the clinical outcomes of their patients can improve physician education and patient care.