Assessment challenges in competency-based education: A case study in health professions education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Competency-Based Education

Background:

• Growing demand for formally trained health sciences faculty.
• University of Michigan Medical School established the Master in Health Professions Education (UM-MHPE) program.
• UM-MHPE utilizes competency-based education (CBE) with individualized mentoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the assessment process in the UM-MHPE program.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel CBE assessment method.
• To address challenges in assessing competence in health professions education.

Main Methods:

• Implementing a competency-based education (CBE) program.
• Utilizing an independent assessment committee and learner repository.
• Learners submit evidence of competence, evaluated by three independent assessors.
• Assessment Committee determines competence based on submitted evidence and feedback.

Main Results:

• Six learners submitted 10 pieces of evidence in the first year.
• Challenges identified in setting non-quantifiable standards for assessment.
• Demonstrated practical learning outcomes that assess competence.
• Argued for a more genuine form of assessment in CBE.

Conclusions:

• The UM-MHPE program's assessment method provides a genuine evaluation of competence.
• The described assessment process can be adapted for various competency-based formats.
• Despite challenges, the approach yields practical learning outcomes and assesses competence effectively.