title: How to use the core competencies in hospital medicine: a framework for curriculum development.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The seminal article that coined the term hospitalist, published in 1996, attributed the role of the hospitalist to enhancing throughput and cost reduction, primarily through reduction in length of stay, accomplished by having a dedicated clinician on site in the hospital. Since that time the role of the hospitalist has evolved, and hospitalists are being called upon to demonstrate that they actually improve quality of care and the education of the next generation of physicians. A companion article in this issue describes in detail the rationale for the development of the Core Competencies document and the methods by which it was created.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific cases that hospitalists may encounter in their daily practice are used to illustrate how the Core Competencies can be applied to curriculum development. The cases illustrate 1) a specific problem and the need for improvement; 2) a needs assessment of the targeted learners (hospitalists and clinicians in training); 3) goals and specific measurable objectives; 4) educational strategies using the competencies to provide structure and guidance; 5) implementation (applying competencies to a variety of training opportunities and curricula); 6) evaluation and feedback; and 7) remaining questions and the need for additional research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This article illustrates how to utilize The Core Competencies in Hospital Medicine to educate trainees and faculty, to prioritize educational scholarship and research strategies, and thus to improve the care of our patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical educators should compare their learning objectives to the Core Competencies to ensure that their trainees have achieved competency to practice hospital medicine and improve the hospital setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. smckean@partners.org
authors.forename: Sylvia C W
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: McKean
authors.forename: Tina L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Budnitz
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dressler
authors.forename: Alpesh N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pistoria
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D020445:Hospitalists / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D016730:Program Development