Medical education is changing to meet the demands of our evolving health care system. One of these changes is the development and implementation of competency-based medical education (CBME).
CBME is an outcomes-based approach to the design, implementation, and evaluation of education programs and the assessment of learners, using competencies or observable abilities. The goal of CBME is to ensure that all learners achieve the desired outcomes during their training.
The AAMC aims to advance CBME in the following ways:
Competencies for New and Emerging Areas in Health Care
With partners, the AAMC developed quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) competencies that span medical school, residency, and practice. Additional competencies are also under development.
Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for Entering Residency
These Core EPAs for entering residency were developed by a drafting panel convened by the AAMC in 2013. Ten schools participating in the AAMC Core EPAs Pilot Project are testing the feasibility of incorporating Core EPAs in their curricula to better prepare learners for the transition to residency.
Education in Pediatrics Across the Continuum (The EPAC Project)
The EPAC Project was established to build a model for true CBME, with progression through training based on the achievement of competencies rather than the passage of time. Four schools are testing the feasibility of using a time-variable, outcomes-based model in pediatrics training.
Subscribe to the CBME listserv to receive updates as this work continues to evolve and expand. Send a blank email to subscribe-coreepas@lists.aamc.org.