Strategies to Enable Transformation in Medical Education: Faculty and Trainee Development in Competence By Design

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Effective faculty development is crucial for transformative changes in health professions education.
• Large-scale faculty development designs are infrequently described in literature.
• The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada initiated Competence by Design to revolutionize postgraduate medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the goals, principles, and rationale behind the Royal College's national faculty and resident development strategy.
• To support the implementation of the Competence by Design initiative.
• To describe activities and resources facilitating national and local training program redesign.

Main Methods:

• Describing the national strategy for faculty and resident development.
• Detailing activities and resources for faculty and trainees.
• Implementing competency-based medical education redesign across specialties.
• Reflecting on challenges, enablers, and lessons learned.
• Utilizing a continuous quality improvement approach for iterative implementation.

Main Results:

• A national strategy for faculty and resident development was established to support Competence by Design.
• Activities and resources were developed for national and local training program redesign.
• Challenges, enablers, and lessons learned during implementation were identified.
• A continuous quality improvement framework was employed for ongoing refinement.

Conclusions:

• The Competence by Design project represents a significant national effort to transform postgraduate medical education.
• Successful implementation requires comprehensive faculty and resident development strategies.
• Continuous quality improvement is essential for navigating challenges and ensuring sustained progress in educational reform.