Training disrupted: Practical tips for supporting competency-based medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare systems around the world, impacting how we deliver medical education. The normal day-to-day routines have been altered for a number of reasons, including changes to scheduled training rotations, physical distancing requirements, trainee redeployment, and heightened level of concern. Medical educators will likely need to adapt their programs to maximize learning, maintain effective care delivery, and ensure competent graduates. Along with a continued focus on learner/faculty wellness, medical educators will have to optimize existing training experiences, adapt those that are no longer viable, employ new technologies, and be flexible when assessing competencies. These practical tips offer guidance on how to adapt medical education programs within the constraints of the pandemic landscape, stressing the need for communication, innovation, collaboration, flexibility, and planning within the era of competency-based medical education.

Keywords:

• Outcome-based
• change
• postgraduate
• medicine
• teaching and learning

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to sincerely thank the attendees of the ‘Competence-By Design During the COVID-19 Pandemic’ Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada webinar on April 9, 2020 upon which these tips are based.

Disclosure statement

P. Campisi is a co-inventor of the otoscopy simulator described in Tip #7. The authors report no other conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andrew K. Hall

Andrew K. Hall, MD, FRCPC, MMEd, is an Associate Professor and CBME Lead in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, and a Clinician Educator at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Markku T. Nousiainen

Markku T. Nousiainen, MS, MEd, MD, FRCSC, is the Program Director of the Division of Orthopedic Surgery and an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto.

Paolo Campisi

Paolo Campisi, MSc, MD, FRCSC, is a Professor, Vice Chair Education and Director of Postgraduate Education for the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, University of Toronto.

J. Damon Dagnone

J. Damon Dagnone, MSc, MMEd, FRCPC, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the CBME Faculty Lead for Postgraduate Medical Education, Queen’s University.

Jason R. Frank

Jason R. Frank, MD, MA(Ed), FRCPC, is the Director of Specialty Education, Strategy, and Standards at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the Vice Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ottawa.

Karen I. Kroeker

Karen I. Kroeker, MD, MSc, FRCPC, is the Program Director in the Division of Gastroenterology and an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Alberta.

Stacey Brzezina

Stacey Brzezina, MA, is a Research Coordinator at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Eve Purdy

Eve Purdy, MD, MSc, is a Final Year Emergency Medicine Resident and Anthropologist at Queen’s University.

Anna Oswald

Anna Oswald, MD, MMEd, FRCPC, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of Competency Based Medical Education, University of Alberta, and a Clinician Educator for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.