Competency by Design for Electroconvulsive Therapy in Psychiatry Postgraduate Training: Face and Content Validation...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry
• Competency-Based Education

Background:

• Psychiatry postgraduate training is transitioning to a competency-by-design model.
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) knowledge and practice are crucial components of this training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a comprehensive set of competencies for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within postgraduate psychiatry training.

Main Methods:

• A curriculum committee proposed initial competencies based on competency-by-design principles.
• A modified Delphi process involving six ECT experts from Canadian academic centers was used to achieve consensus.

Main Results:

• Thirty-one competencies were proposed in round one, with 23 advancing to round two.
• After revisions and additions, 35 competencies reached expert consensus with high interrater reliability (Cronbach's α increased from 0.89 to 0.95).

Conclusions:

• A consensus was reached on 35 core competencies for postgraduate psychiatry trainees in ECT.
• These validated competencies provide a foundation for developing robust ECT curricula.
• The methodology is adaptable for creating other medical training competencies.