Background: Residency training programs in Canada are undergoing a mandated transition to competency-based medical education (CBME).  There is limited literature regarding resident perspectives on CBME.  As upper year residents act as mentors and assessors for incoming cohorts, and are themselves key stakeholders in this educational transition, it is important to understand how they view CBME.  We examined how residents who are not currently enrolled in a competency-based program view that method of training, and what they perceive as potential advantages, disadvantages, and considerations regarding its implementation. Methods: Sixteen residents volunteered to participate in individual semi-structured interviews, with questions focussing on participants’ knowledge of CBME and its implementation.  We used a grounded theory approach to develop explanations of how residents perceive CBME. Results: Residents anticipated improved assessment and feedback, earlier identification of residents experiencing difficulties in training, and greater flexibility to pursue self-identified educational needs.  Disadvantages included logistical issues surrounding CBME implementation, ability of attending physicians to deliver CBME-appropriate feedback, and the possibility of assessment fatigue.  Clear, detailed communication and channels for resident feedback were key considerations regarding implementation. Conclusions: Resident views align with educational experts regarding the practical challenges of implementation.  Expectations of improved assessment and feedback highlight the need for both residents and attending physicians to be equipped in these domains.  Consequently, faculty development and clear communication will be crucial aspects of successful transitioning to CBME.

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Medical education in Canada is currently in a state of transition. In 2013, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada launched Competency by Design (CBD), an initiative which will see all specialty and subspecialty programs in Canada begin transitioning to competency-based medical education (CBME) by 2022. At Queen's University, we intend that beginning July 2017, residents entering any of our 29 postgraduate specialty programs will be integrated into CBME residency programs. This paper shares Queen's University's experience of an accelerated, institutional implementation of CBME in advance of the Royal College's competency by design (CBD) program.

BACKGROUND: The burgeoning use of opioids and the lack of attention to the safe prescribing, storage, and disposal of these drugs remains a societal concern. Education plays a critical role in providing a comprehensive response to this crisis by closing the training gaps and empowering the next generation of physicians with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to diagnose, treat and manage pain and substance use. Curricular Development: The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) developed a competency-based, bilingual curriculum for undergraduate medical students to be implemented in all Canadian medical schools. The authors describe the principles and framework for developing a national curriculum. The curriculum design process was situated in the Knowledge to Action theoretical framework. Throughout the development of this curriculum, different stakeholder groups were engaged, and their needs and contexts were considered. CONCLUSION: The curriculum ensures that consistent information is taught across all medical schools to educate future physicians on pain management, opioid stewardship and substance use disorder.

The 3M National Teaching Fellowship (3MNTF) has been part of the Canadian higher education landscape for the past 31 years and has grown to be a community of 328 fellows, with up to ten more being added each year. As part of the 30-year anniversary of the Fellowship, we initiated a study to understand its impacts on the higher education community by examining the effect that the Fellowship has had on individual winners, the influence that fellows have been able to exert in their institutions after being awarded the 3M Fellowship, and the influence that the 3M National Teaching Fellowship program has had nationally and internationally. To identify the various impacts of the 3MNTF, we conducted focus groups with the 2012 cohort, 3M retreat facilitators and coordinators, and the representative from 3M Canada, as well as the new fellows from the 2013 cohort. In 2014, we conducted two focus groups with senior university administrators and educational developers. In 2015, we developed and administered an online survey to faculty, administrators, educational developers, and students at a number of Canadian universities. We found that the 3M is one of the most recognizable teaching awards in Canada’s higher education landscape. The structure of the fellowship has helped to shape local and international teaching awards, while individual fellows often provide mentorship to future leaders in education.

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