It is an exciting time in Canada’s medical education community as we prepare for the official launch of competency-based medical education (CBME). On July 1st, 2017, residents entering Otolaryngology/ENT and Anesthesia programs will be the first cohort to complete their training under Competency-By-Design (CBD).
Those residents already training in anesthesia and otolaryngology programs will not be affected by the change. These residents will complete their training under the current time-based model that already produces world leaders in these fields. Current residents may see changes to the way assessments and feedback are delivered in their programs as the tools being developed for CBME is intended to benefit all residents.
New residents entering into Anesthesia and Otolaryngology on July 1st, 2017, will receive an outstanding education but their experience will be somewhat different from their more senior colleagues. The way residents are assessed and progress through residency in these programs will now focus on demonstrating competence across a series of domains and skills. Progress will be tracked using simple electronic tools that can be completed efficiently in the course of clinical work, and it is expected that the majority of residency experiences will follow the same trajectory as the current system.
More information about CBME is available through the RDoC website including our recent position paper: Implementing a Competency-Based Approach to Medical Education.
During this period of transition, Resident Doctors of Canada continues to serve and advocate for the needs of residents across Canada alongside the Fédération du Médecins du Québec and the Provincial Housestaff Organizations.
Further information will be provided as it becomes available from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. We encourage you to contact your faculty of medicine or your provincial housestaff organization for details specific to your program.
