uOttawa Faculty of Medicine implements new curriculum in PGME program

uOttawa Faculty of Medicine is in the process of implementing a new curriculum in its Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) program that includes

Competency-based medical education (CBME).

CBME is an outcomes-based approach that involves identifying the abilities required of physicians and then designing the curriculum to support the achievement and assessment of these predefined competencies.

This paradigm defies the assumption that competence is achieved based on time spent on rotations and instead requires residents to demonstrate their competence.

uOttawa is already well on the way to implementing this new curriculum in its residency programs; here are some updates from the PGME residency programs:

• Family Medicine is in its fourth year of a Triple C, competency-based curriculum. Their previous Program Director, Dr. Alison Eyre, has described their switch to CBME as “painful but worth it” by those involved. In a survey they conducted during their second year, 90% of faculty agreed there was value in CBME. Residents in particular have viewed the change positively; noting it is flexible and gives them the opportunity to provide input on their own learning.
• Anesthesiology launched a CBME program on July 1, 2015, two years ahead of the national rollout of CBD for anesthesiology. After checking in with their Associate Program Director and CBME Lead, Dr. Daniel Dubois, he confirmed that residents have been very responsive to the increase in feedback and coaching they receive. Having defined markers of progression helps them understand program expectations and sets a clear bar for promotion. They are working to establish a review process to identify areas for improvement and recognition of success with all of the changes their program has undergone over the past few years.
• Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery transitioned to CBME on July 1, 2017. According to their Program Director Dr. Jean-Phillippe Vaccani, the teaching goals in the clinical environment are much clearer in CBME. Rather than teaching “what comes through the door”, faculty members will be assigned EPAs they are responsible for teaching. He is excited that resident assessments will become more important and viewed through a coaching lens with the focus on learning and improvement.
• To subscribe to the CBME newsletter, email the PGME CBME Coordinator, Leah Arsenault at pgmecbd@uottawa.ca.