title: Developing a Competency-based Curriculum in Basic and Clinical Pharmacology--A Delphi Study among Physicians.
abstract: A new curriculum is planned for the medical school at Lund University, Sweden. Pharmacology, in a broad sense, has been identified as a subject that needs to be strengthened based on needs in the healthcare system. The aim was to identify the competencies in basic and clinical pharmacology that a newly qualified physician needs. Using a modified three-round Delphi technique, 31 physicians were invited to list necessary competencies (round 1). After content analysis, these panel members classified the list by importance on two occasions (rounds 2 and 3) using a 4-point scale (4 = necessary, 3 = desirable, 2 = useful, 1 = not necessary). Competencies with the highest ranks based on necessity were retained. Thirty physicians accepted the invitation and 25 (83%) of them completed all three rounds. Round 1 resulted in 258 suggestions, which were subsequently reduced to 95 competencies. Of these 95 competencies, 40 were considered necessary by at least 75% of the panel members. The degree of consensus increased between round 2 and round 3. Using a modified Delphi technique, we identified 40 competencies that could be transferred to learning outcomes for a new curriculum in basic and clinical pharmacology at medical school.
authors.affiliation: Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmo, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Midlöv
authors.affiliation: Section for Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine in Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Höglund
authors.affiliation: Section for Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine in Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Center for Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.affiliation: Center for Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Edgren
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D032921:Consensus; D003479:Curriculum; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D016730:Program Development; D012577:Schools, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*