title: Paving the road for a European postgraduate training curriculum.
abstract: The 'Project for Achieving Consensus in Training' has been initiated by the European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology to harmonise training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology throughout Europe. In this project called the EBCOG-PACT, a state of the art pan-European training curriculum will be developed. Implementation of a pan-European curriculum will enhance harmonisation of both quality standards of women's healthcare practice and standards of postgraduate training. Secondly, it will assure equal quality of training of gynaecologists, promoting mobility throughout Europe. Thirdly, it will enhance cooperation and exchange of best practices between medical specialists and hospitals within Europe. The project is expecting to deliver (1) a description of the core and electives of the curriculum based on previously defined standards of care, (2) a societally responsive competency framework based on input from societal stakeholders and (3) strategies for education and assessment based on the current literature. Also, the project focuses on implementation and sustainability of the curriculum by delivering (4) a SWOT-analysis for the implementation based on insights into transcultural differences, (5) recommendations for implementation, change management and sustainability based on the SWOT analysis (6) and finally a handbook for other specialties initiating European curriculum development. The development and the implementation of this modern pan-European curriculum in Obstetrics and Gynaecology aims to serve as an example for the harmonisation of postgraduate training in Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Education, OLVG Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Athena Institute, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.vanderaa@olvg.nl.
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: van der Aa
authors.affiliation: European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Standing Committee of Training and Assessment, Brussels, Belgium; European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Executive Committee, Brussels, Belgium; European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chair of Project Board of EBCOG-PACT, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Angelique J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Goverde
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, School of Health Professions Education (SHE), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pim W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Teunissen
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Education, OLVG Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Athena Institute, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Standing Committee of Training and Assessment, Brussels, Belgium; VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fedde
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scheele
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: Curriculum; EBCOG; Europe; Medical education; Postgraduate training