Royal College Intramural Grant Program — Recipients

Renate Kahlke, PhD
Research Associate, Research Unit,
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

With the advent of CBME, there has been significant attention paid to the workload placed on clinician assessors. At the same time, we know that clinicians often struggle to ensure that they regularly engage in meaningful continuing professional development. This research aims to investigate the conditions under which acting as a clinical assessor might catalyze learning for clinicians, offering continuing professional development grounded in the workplace. Reframing assessment as potentially beneficial to assessors could enhance faculty engagement in assessment activities through recognition of learning in continuing professional development and maintenance of competence processes. Such recognition can thus increase assessor retention and the sustainability of assessment practices within CBME.

Warren J. Cheung MD MMEd FRCPC
Director of Assessment, Associate Director, Education Scholarship
Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
University of Ottawa | The Ottawa Hospital

How this work will inform research in medical education:

Competence committees (CCs) are the cornerstone of a program of assessment within the Royal College’s Competence By Design (CBD). However, little is yet known about the structure, function and work of Canadian CCs. Programs may successfully implement all of the required components of a CC in alignment with best practices (fidelity of implementation), yet not be functionally engaging in processes that embody the spirit and qualities of CBD (integrity of implementation). The objective of this project is to evaluate both fidelity and integrity of CC implementation in Canada. To support effective adoption of CBD and establish the link between implementation and outcomes, it is critical to document and evaluate the strengths, innovations, and challenges of early implementation efforts. The results will inform areas for improvement and advance our understanding of successful implementation practices with the aim of helping CCs operationalize their mandate of assuring the competence of Canadian specialty graduates.

Hall, Andrew K. MD, FRCPC, MMEd
Professeur agrégé et responsable de l’approche par compétences en formation médicale, Département de médecine d’urgence, Université Queen’s

Comment ces travaux éclaireront-ils la recherche sur la formation médicale?

Cette subvention intramurale permettra d’évaluer rapidement la mise en œuvre de la CPC en comparant les activités, les expériences et les résultats préliminaires au sein des programmes de formation de plusieurs disciplines. Grâce à des partenariats entre le Collège royal, les présidents des comités de spécialité et les responsables des programmes, cette évaluation approfondie des programmes permettra à la fois d’adapter l’initiative au contexte local et aux spécialités, et de mieux comprendre la mise en œuvre de la CPC à l’échelle nationale, plus particulièrement en ce qui concerne l’état de préparation, la conformité et l’intégrité, ainsi que les résultats préliminaires de la mise en œuvre.