3 Key Takeaways from the 2019 CBME Program Evaluation Summit
The Competency-based Medical Education (CBME) Program Evaluation Summit was held on September 23, 2019 in Ottawa in conjunction with the International Conference on Residency Education (ICRE). Over 80 medical education leaders from across Canada and abroad were in attendance.
As Canada is adopting a competency-based approach to residency training, the intent of the summit was to create a space to bring forward unique perspectives and innovative ideas on CBME from local sites. Additionally, over 30 attendees presented posters, providing others at the summit the opportunity to learn from and respond to initiatives on the ground.
Discussions were grouped around the three pillars of Canada’s national Competence by Design (CBD) program evaluation strategy:
- Readiness to implement
- Fidelity and integrity of implementation
- Outcomes
Attendees discussed on the ground work and touched on many topics, such as culture change and challenges in CBME. These discussions allowed attendees to learn from each other, engage in rich discussions and create potential opportunities for collaboration.
There were some key takeaways that these discussions and presentations emphasized.
- We need to keep collaborating
Re-envisioning how to measure the success of medical education is an exciting albeit complex process. There needs to be on-going opportunities for discussion forums, collaboration, and innovation while taking a hard look at what we as Canadians want to achieve at both local and national levels.
- We need to acknowledge and embrace the differences
Key functions of residency training, such as accreditation standards, credentialing and assessment, are intersecting with technology and local practicalities, such as budgets, human resources, specialty sizes and evolving societal needs. It is important to hear the many different perspectives at various levels of influence: national, specialty, institution, program and more. Exploring the many aspects of CBME through the eyes of different stakeholders with differing needs are all valid and important pieces of the puzzle.
- Together, we are collecting rich insights
While CBME Program evaluation will continue evolve and progress over time, we are encouraged to see such high quality projects occurring at different sites. When brought together, these learnings are helping to inform the CBD Program Evaluation at a national level, providing an understanding of how CBD is being implemented and how to continue to adapt CBD for the best outcomes.
Attendees of the 2019 CBME Program Evaluation Summit participating in the poster session.
We encourage the community to attend next year’s program evaluation summit and share their experiences. Keep an eye out for registration!
If you are interested in participating in the developing program evaluation initiatives of the Royal College and other key stakeholders in medical education, or would like to see presentations from the Summit, please reach out to us at educationstrategy@royalcollege.ca
