Expected surgical competencies of an Indian medical graduate: a gap analysis using a cross-sectional survey.
BACKGROUND
In 2010, the Medical Council of India published the Vision 2015 document, which sought to create an 'Indian Medical Graduate' as a 'physician of first contact of the community while being globally relevant'. This vision for undergraduate medical education is proposed to be realised through a competency-based curriculum. We conducted a gap analysis using a cross-sectional survey to document surgeons' perceptions regarding competencies identified in surgery.


METHODS
Eight competencies specific to surgery are proposed, which formed the basis for the study. We defined sub-competencies for each of these and developed a questionnaire containing ratings of importance and ability for the sub-competencies from low to very high on a 4-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was administered to 450 surgeons attending a state-level annual conference in surgery asking them to provide the importance ratings and their own ability on those (sub) competencies when they graduated. The importance and ability ratings were ranked and a gap analysis was done.


RESULTS
The study response rate was 69.8%. While most competencies were perceived by the surgeons as being highly important, their self-ratings revealed a statistically significant gap between importance and ability when they graduated. They also rated themselves as being more competent on some than on others. Some competencies were high on importance as well as on ability, while others were high on importance but low on ability, revealing a gap. A low importance-high ability relationship was seen for a few competencies. Competencies related to emergency and trauma care and communication had the largest gaps.


CONCLUSIONS
The gaps identified in surgical competencies for graduating physicians are specific and have implications for the competency-based curriculum and implementation in terms of teaching, assessment and faculty development. It also has implications for seamless transition between undergraduate and postgraduate competencies, as all of these are prerequisites at the start of a surgical residency.
Vice Chancellor, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, Maharashtra, India.
Arun
A
Jamkar
Payal
P
Bansal
Seema
S
Patrikar
Gaurang
G
Baxi
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India