Competency Based Education

Self-assessment is an integral component of learning and developing decision making and critical thinking skills in the practice of dental hygiene. Dental hygienists must think critically and develop problem-solving strategies during their formal education to ensure lifelong quality and ongoing development of their personal knowledge and skill as related to providing comprehensive, evidence-based patient care. The primary focus of this qualitative investigation was to obtain undergraduate dental hygiene students' perceptions of and experiences with self-assessment. The sample consisted of an intact undergraduate dental hygiene class of seventeen students in their final semester of a two-year, entry-level dental hygiene program at a community college in the southeast United States. Data for this research were obtained from three sources: 1) a program-designed self-assessment survey assignment, 2) in-depth interviews with four second-year dental hygiene students, and 3) program-de...

There is a growing movement to define competency within the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT), particularly with respect to the training of practitioners and the evaluation of clinical practice. Efforts to define competency, however, transcend the practice of MFT and much can be learned from the experiences of other disciplines. Professions such as education, law, and medicine have made strides toward addressing the complex issue of competency standards in their respective fields. This article describes some ways in which the issue of competency has been approached in other professions, as well as some common dilemmas posed by adopting a competency-based orientation, to shed light on the process of defining competency in MFT. Moreover, this article identifies some of the more useful conceptualizations, modes of pedagogy, and evaluative practices found in other professions.

This Guide was written to support educators interested in building a competency-based workplace curriculum. It aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the literature on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), supplemented with suggestions for practical application to curriculum construction, assessment and educational technology. The Guide first introduces concepts and definitions related to EPAs and then guidance for their identification, elaboration and validation, while clarifying common misunderstandings about EPAs. A matrix-mapping approach of combining EPAs with competencies is discussed, and related to existing concepts such as competency milestones. A specific section is devoted to entrustment decision-making as an inextricable part of working with EPAs. In using EPAs, assessment in the workplace is translated to entrustment decision-making for designated levels of permitted autonomy, ranging from acting under full supervision to providing supervision to a junior learn...

Construct: This article describes the development and validity evidence behind a new rating scale to assess feedback quality in the clinical workplace. Competency-based medical education has mandated a shift to learner-centeredness, authentic observation, and frequent formative assessments with a focus on the delivery of effective feedback. Because feedback has been shown to be of variable quality and effectiveness, an assessment of feedback quality in the workplace is important to ensure we are providing trainees with optimal learning opportunities. The purposes of this project were to develop a rating scale for the quality of verbal feedback in the workplace (the Direct Observation of Clinical Skills Feedback Scale [DOCS-FBS]) and to gather validity evidence for its use. Two panels of experts (local and national) took part in a nominal group technique to identify features of high-quality feedback. Through multiple iterations and review, 9 features were developed into the DOCS-FBS....

Early onset of behavioural problems has lasting negative effects on a broad range of lifetime outcomes, placing large costs on individuals, families and society. A number of researchers and policy makers have argued that early interventions aimed at supporting the family is the most effective way of tackling child behaviour problems. This study forms the economic component of a randomised evaluation of the Incredible Years programme, a programme aimed at improving the skills and parenting strategies of parents of children with conduct problems. Our results show that the programme provides a cost-effective way of reducing behavioural problems. Furthermore, our cost analysis, when combined with a consideration of the potential long-run benefits, suggests that investment in such programmes may generate favourable long-run economic returns.

Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-are increasingly common in U.S. medical schools. However, systematic, data-driven program development methods have not been described. The authors examined scholarly concentration programs at U.S. medical schools that U.S. News & World Report ranked as top 25 for research or primary care (n = 43 institutions), coding concentrations and mission statements. Subsequently, the authors conducted a targeted needs assessment via a student-led, institution-wide survey, eliciting learners' preferences for 10 "Pathways" (i.e., concentrations) and 30 "Topics" (i.e., potential content) augmenting core curricula at their institution. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a capacity optimization algorithm characterized best institutional options for learner-focused Pathway development. The authors identified scholarly concentration programs at 32 of 43 medical schools (74%), co...

Competency-based education (CBE) in dental hygiene education is intended to measure learned skills that prepare students to independently provide services for the public. A variety of standardized clinical assessment techniques (SCATs) are available to substantiate the competence of health care professionals, including, but not limited to, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), triple jump exams, standardized patients, and simulations. Standardized clinical examinations test students' abilities to treat diverse patients in a consistent, controlled setting. SCATs help prepare clinicians to safely treat patients of various complexities. The objectives of this study were to examine the variety of techniques used to assess clinical competence in U.S. accredited dental hygiene programs and to obtain program directors' attitudes regarding clinic assessment, with a focus on how SCATs are used. An online survey collected data from 125 directors (48 percent response rate...

Competency-based medical education (CBME) is both an educational philosophy and an approach to educational design. CBME has already had a broad impact on medical schools, residency programs, and continuing professional development in health professions around the world. As the CBME movement evolves and CBME programs are implemented, a wide range of emerging research questions will warrant scholarly examination. In this paper, we describe a proposed CBME research agenda developed by the International CBME Collaborators. The resulting framework includes questions about the meaning of key concepts of CBME and their implications for learners, faculty members, and institutional structures. Other research questions relate to the learning process, the meaning of entrustment decisions, fundamental measurement issues, and the nature and definition of standards. The exploration of these questions will help to solidify the theoretical foundation of CBME, but many issues related to implementati...

Local adoption of the Association of Professors in Gynecology and Obstetrics women's health care competencies for medical students must be preceded by significant institutional groundwork. Nationally developed guidelines play an important role in persuading teaching faculty of the importance of including women's health and in augmenting institution-specific efforts.

The Latino Healthcare Professionals Project (LHPP) is a privately-funded initiative to provide healthcare management training to first-generation educated Latino bilingual and bicultural upper division university stu- dents planning careers in healthcare. This unique curriculum, scholar- ship, and mentorship program is based in the Healthcare Administration (HCA) Program at California State University Long Beach (CSULB). Initially funded by The Sisters of

Medical Education 2010: 44: 347–357Objectives  There are recognised difficulties in teaching and assessing intimate examination skills that relate to the sensitive nature of the various examinations and the anxiety faced by novice learners. This systematic review provides a summary of the evidence for the involvement of real patients (RPs) and simulated patients (SPs) in the training of health care professionals in intimate examination skills.Methods  For the review, ‘intimate examinations’ included pelvic, breast, testicular and rectal examinations. Major databases were searched from the start of the database to December 2008. The synthesis of findings is integrated by narrative structured to address the main research questions, which sought to establish: the objectives of programmes involving RPs and SPs as teachers of intimate examination skills; reasons why SPs have been involved in this training; the evidence for the effectiveness of such training programmes; the evidence for measures of anxiety in students learning how to perform intimate examinations; how well issues of sexuality are addressed in the literature; any reported negative effects of involvement in teaching on the patients, and suggestions for practical strategies for involving patients in the teaching of intimate examination skills.Results  A total of 65 articles were included in the review. Involving patients in teaching intimate examination skills offers advantages over traditional methods of teaching. Objective evidence for the effectiveness of this method is demonstrated through improved clinical performance, reduced anxiety and positive evaluation of programmes. Practical strategies for implementing such programmes are also reported.Conclusions  There is evidence of a short-term positive impact of patient involvement in the teaching and assessment of intimate examination skills; however, evidence of longer-term impact is still limited. The influences of sexuality and anxiety related to such examinations are explored to some extent, but the psychological impact on learners and patients is not well addressed.

Aim This paper explores educational strategies for nurses that focus on reflectivity and promote the development of self-awareness, relationship and communication skills and ability to lead with presence and compassion in the midst of change. ... Background Today nurses ...