Competency-Based Medical Education for Plastic Surgery: Where Do We Begin?

Background: North American surgical education is beginning to shift toward competency-based medical education, in which trainees complete their training only when competence has been demonstrated through objective milestones. Pressure is mounting to embrace competency-based medical education because of the perception that it provides more transparent standards and increased public accountability. In response to calls for reform from leading bodies in medical education, competency-based medical education is rapidly becoming the standard in training of physicians. Methods: The authors summarize the rationale behind the recent shift toward competency-based medical education and creation of the milestones framework. With respect to procedural skills, initial efforts will require the field of plastic surgery to overcome three challenges: identifying competencies (principles and procedures), modeling teaching strategies, and developing assessment tools. The authors provide proposals for how these challenges may be addressed and the educational rationale behind each proposal. Results: A framework for identification of competencies and a stepwise approach toward creation of a principles oriented competency-based medical education curriculum for plastic surgery are presented. An assessment matrix designed to sample resident exposure to core principles and key procedures is proposed, along with suggestions for generating validity evidence for assessment tools. Conclusions: The ideal curriculum should provide exposure to core principles of plastic surgery while demonstrating competence through performance of index procedures that are most likely to benefit graduating residents when entering independent practice and span all domains of plastic surgery. The authors advocate that exploring the role and potential benefits of competency-based medical education in plastic surgery residency training is timely.