Competency-based education: programme design and challenges to implementation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Competency-Based Education (CBE)

Background:

• CBE is a widely adopted educational framework for medical trainees.
• It emphasizes outcomes, abilities, and learner-centeredness over time-based progression.
• Implementing CBE presents unique challenges and implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the University of Michigan Master of Health Professions Education (UM-MHPE) program as a case study for CBE implementation.
• To identify lessons learned from designing and implementing a CBE program.

Main Methods:

• The UM-MHPE program utilizes 12 educational competencies and 20 entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for learning and assessment.
• Faculty roles are defined as assessors, mentors, and experts guiding individualized learning plans.

Main Results:

• EPAs and competencies offer a viable alternative to traditional courses, facilitating robust assessment.
• Highly individualized learning is achievable but incurs significant costs and necessitates community building.
• Transitioning away from time-based education within a university setting is a substantial innovation.

Conclusions:

• Competency-based education (CBE) and entrustable professional activities (EPAs) provide a flexible and effective model for health professions education.
• Individualized learning within CBE is feasible but requires careful resource management and community engagement.
• The shift from time-based to competency-based structures poses significant implementation hurdles in traditional academic institutions.