Twelve tips to maximize the value of a clinical competency committee in postgraduate medical education

Abstract

Medical education has shifted to a competency-based paradigm, leading to calls for improved learner assessment methods and validity evidence for how assessment data are interpreted. Clinical competency committees (CCCs) use the collective input of multiple people to improve the validity and reliability of decisions made and actions taken based on assessment data. Significant heterogeneity in CCC structure and function exists across postgraduate medical education programs and specialties, and while there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach, there are ways to maximize value for learners and programs. This paper collates available evidence and the authors' experiences to provide practical tips on CCC purpose, membership, processes, and outputs. These tips can benefit programs looking to start a CCC and those that are improving their current CCC processes.

Some assembly required: tracing the interpretative work of Clinical Competency Committees

“…Concerns around the fairness and transparency of progression decisions have been at the heart of this conversation . The current lack of systematic procedures for evidentiary review, weighting and interpretation and the heterogeneity of practices within committees have been problematised . In response, a variety of strategies have been proposed to standardise CCCs, including best operating practices, faculty training, data visualisation software and data analysis programs …”

Clerkship Grading Committees: the Impact of Group Decision-Making for Clerkship Grading

“…This strategy is aligned with recommendations that committees maximize time spent sharing information and perspectives. 10,47 A main benefit of the committee system is addressing potential biases in grading, and committee members somewhat saw this as their duty. Lack of direct contact with students led participants to feel shielded against bias, but literature across disciplines suggests significant bias can nonetheless occur.…”

Developing a dashboard to meet Competence Committee needs: a design-based research project

“…12 CCs are struggling to make robust, data-driven decisions while also providing feedback that fosters resident development. [11][12][13][14][15][16] To realize the promise of CBME, resident assessment data need to be organized and displayed effectively 17,18 Analytical and visualization techniques have been developed in other fields (e.g. sport and business) to address the challenges presented by large datasets.…”