General Competencies Overview
Competency based training and evaluation is fast becoming the norm in the continuum of medical education--undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education programs. Board recertification processes are capturing this theme as more specialty boards are designing criteria that include: experience, practice based learning and improvement, global ratings, as well as the time honored multiple choice question exams.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) now expects that each training program will be addressing these new curricular elements and evaluation modalities followed by documenting the outcomes for every resident in training.

There are six General Competencies (including effective curricular and evaluation measurements):


1. Patient Care
  • Compassionate and appropriate care utilizing effective communication skills
  • Patient preference and informed decision making
  • Utilizing technology for up to date information in support of clinical decisions
  • Preventive health
  • Team approach to patient care
2. Medical Knowledge
  • Analytic, rational problem solving utilizing evidence based medicine
  • Scientific process to formal decision analysis
  • Knowledge testing
3. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
  • Utilize research methodology for understanding literature
  • Scientific data for clinical support
  • Understand own patient population
  • Systematic approach to practice improvement
  • Utilize online systems for practice improvement
  • Facilitate learning of others
4. Interpersonal & Communication Skills
  • Develop and demonstrate ability to formulate ethical, sound, professional relationships (patients and peers)
  • Listening skills, speaking skills, clarity in writing
  • Work effectively within health care team
5. Professionalism
  • Demonstrate compassion, respect and integrity
  • Altruism: patients needs before own
  • Cross cultural sensitivity
6. Systems-Based Practice
  • Understand health care delivery systems (national, state, local), managed care, charity clinic, etc.
  • Necessary resources required and what is available
  • Cost effective care: cost effective analysis
  • Coordination of health care (health delivery teams)
  • Population based principles applied to individual patient needs
General Competencies Evaluation & Documentation
  • ACGME ToolBox of Assessment Methods © - The ACGME has prioritized modalities of evaluation in this ToolBox.
Copyright 2008, Arizona Board of Regents