ABFM Foundation Scholarship for ACGME Competency-Based Medical Education

Dr. John B. Waits and Dr. Jeremy Crider were recipients of an ABFM Foundation scholarship to attend a Competency-Based Medical Education Assessment Intensive at the ACGME Headquarters in Chicago in October.

It's an exciting time for our program as we shift our focus to true competency among our medical graduates. No longer are we simply assuming competence based on the number of months or repetitions but actively working to ensure it.

The course played a pivotal role in this transition. It concentrated on several crucial aspects, including:

• Developing Meaningful Individual Learning Plans: The course delved deep into creating personalized learning plans that address each student's unique needs and aspirations.

• Engaging in High-Quality Feedback Conversations: Effective feedback is an essential component of any learning process. We worked to hone the art of constructive feedback, facilitating open and constructive dialogue between educators and learners.

• Utilizing Direct Observation Best Practices: Observing clinical practices directly is an irreplaceable method for assessing competence. The course provided insights into the best practices for direct observation, ensuring that we accurately gauge and provide rich feedback on our residents' skills.

• Strategies for Documenting and Ensuring Competency on Some of the More-Difficult-to-Assess Family Medicine Milestones

One of the most invaluable components of the course was the opportunity to engage in feedback simulations. These simulations involved standardized residents and patients at the Northwestern Simulation Center.

The experience not only sharpened our skills but also stimulated rich conversations. As a result, we've charted a path to roll out several new initiatives over the next 1-2 years that will further enhance the quality of medical education.