UK royal colleges publish competency based curriculums

Training for UK doctors in higher medical training is set to become more structured and systematically evaluated, with the publication this week of competency based curriculums by the three royal colleges of physicians of the United Kingdom.

The new curriculums represent a complete restructuring of training and assessment for specialist registrars working in 29 specialties and subspecialties and are based on achieving a range of competencies considered necessary for doctors to work as independent consultants.

They cover the final stage of training before doctors become consultants, which generally takes four to six years, depending on the medical specialty. They set out the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for each competency and define how these will be assessed. At each stage of learning, assessment will be both continuous and “on the job,” with tutors at the trainee's hospital cross checking their knowledge and experience.

The new curriculum for general (internal) medicine is based on the need to function in several roles, including clinical, counselling, educating, leading, and managing roles. It sets out areas of competence needed to perform these roles effectively.

The new curriculums were developed by the Joint Committee for Higher Medical Training—the umbrella body for higher medical training for three of the royal colleges of the United Kingdom—the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and the Royal College of Physicians of London.

They are part of a wider overhaul of the colleges' training curriculums, designed to update medical training in the United Kingdom.

Areas of competence for general physicians

• Ability to establish effective relationships with patients

• Leadership and personal management skills

• Organisation, planning, and service management skills

• Education and mentoring abilities

• Quality standards, effectiveness, research, and development skills