Defining competency-based evaluation objectives in family medicine: procedure skills.
OBJECTIVE
To develop evaluation objectives for assessing competence in procedure skills using a key-features approach. This was part of a multiyear project to develop competency-based evaluation objectives for Certification in Family Medicine.


METHODS
Nominal group technique.


METHODS
The College of Family Physicians of Canada in Mississauga, Ont.


METHODS
An expert group of 7 family physicians and 1 educational consultant, all of whom had experience in assessing competence in family medicine. Group members represented the Canadian context with respect to region, sex, language, community type, and experience.


METHODS
Using a nominal group technique, the expert group developed the general key features for procedure skills. The expert group also linked the key features to already established skill dimensions in the domain of competence, to the 4 principles of family medicine, and to the CanMEDS roles.


RESULTS
The general key features were developed after 5 iterations. Ten key features were outlined and were shown to reflect all the essential skill dimensions in the domain of competence for family medicine. The key features were linked to 2 of the 4 principles of family medicine and to 4 of the CanMEDS roles.


CONCLUSIONS
The general key features for procedure skills were developed to assess competence in procedure skills in family medicine.
Victoria Family Medical Centre, 60 Chesley Ave, London, ON, Canada. stephen.wetmore@schulich.uwo.ca
Stephen
S
Wetmore
Tom
T
Laughlin
Kathrine
K
Lawrence
Michel
M
Donoff
Tim
T
Allen
Carlos
C
Brailovsky
Tom
T
Crichton
Cheri
C
Bethune
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D032921:Consensus; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans