Aligning family medicine residency training with societal needs: An international Delphi study

Primary care is evolving around the world, and the need to address changing societal needs prompted a call to renew family medicine residency training. Experts were asked to generate learning topics around six areas of societal need.

International family medicine experts were invited to participate in a Delphi study that concluded in 2024. The initial round generated 1275 submissions. Through content analysis, we distilled these submissions to 54 learning topics, which were rated for their importance using a 5-point scale. Importance was indicated if the median score was ≥3.5, and consensus was achieved if the interquartile range was ≤1.

All learning topics were deemed important. Consensus was reached for 46 of 54 learning topics. Topics with low consensus included 'community support and engagement,' 'holistic understanding and proficiency in trauma-informed care,' 'historical and cultural aspects of Indigenous communities,' and 'acquiring research and scholarship competencies in virtual healthcare.'

Consensus was reached in 46 learning topics, with low consensus in areas where physicians' roles overlap with other care providers. Learning topics generated in this study could be integrated to ensure residency programs meet current societal needs. These findings are relevant to family medicine and many residency programs.