title: Does the need for professional competencies change during the physician's career?--A Finnish national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Competence consists of a range of skills, knowledge and attitudes that physicians utilize in their work. Different models for defining physician competency areas have been used in medical organizations. The goal of this study was to explore how Finnish physicians perceive the need for different competency areas in their work.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data for this study were collected in a national questionnaire administered by the Finnish Medical Association (response rate = 63%; N = 10,624). The competency framework was derived from the CanMEDS framework (seven areas) and detailed into 11 items focusing on different aspects of physicians' work. The participants were asked to evaluate how much they needed different items in their work.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factor analysis identified three broad competency dimensions: (1) medical knowledge, (2) management skills and (3) interpersonal skills. There were differences in the need for these competency dimensions according to work assignment and age, reflecting occupational status and amount of work experience and specialty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results were in agreement with the theoretical framework, but the factor analysis compressed the competency areas into three broader dimensions. This study suggests that different positions require different competencies from physicians. Therefore, if physicians are assessed, they should be assessed in accordance with their work.
authors.affiliation: Association for Medical Continuous Professional Development in Finland, Pro Medico, Helsinki, Finland. topi.litmanen@promedico.fi
authors.forename: Topi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Litmanen
authors.forename: Juho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruskoaho
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vänskä
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Halila
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patja
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005387:Finland; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008511:Medicine; D011216:Practice Management, Medical; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors