Tuning research competences for Bologna three cycles in medicine: report of a MEDINE2 European consensus survey

Abstract

Medical curricula, like healthcare systems and medical practice, have a strong cultural component and vary considerably between countries. Increasing mobility of medical graduates, and increasing pressure to ensure they are all fit for practice, have highlighted an urgent need to establish common ground in learning outcomes at all stages of training. A research-based approach, developed by the Tuning project, was used previously by the MEDINE Thematic Network to gain consensus on core learning outcomes/competences for primary medical degrees (www.tuning-medicine.com), but no consensus was reached for learning outcomes relating to research. As part of MEDINE2, a focussed Tuning project was undertaken to explore opinions on more detailed core learning outcomes in research for all three Bologna cycles (Bachelor, Master, and Doctor). Responses from 417 stakeholders, representing 29 European and 13 non-European countries, revealed a relatively high degree of consensus. The findings strongly suggest that these stakeholders think that learning outcomes related both to ‘using research’ and ‘doing research’ should be core components of medical curricula in Europe. The challenge now, however, is to promote further local and international discussion on these issues, and to find ways of achieving these competences within the context of already crowded medical curricula.

Medical research and audit skills training for undergraduates: an international analysis and student-focused needs assessment

“…The Medical Education in Europe (MEDINE) Thematic Network has previously undertaken a pan-European consensus survey to generate a set of research competencies and core learning outcomes for medical curricula in Europe across all three Bologna cycles (Bachelor, Master and Doctor) 8. These research-specific learning competencies can be broadly considered in three groups: ‘generic’ competences, those related to ‘using research’ and those related to ‘doing research’.…”

Fundamentos para la clasificación de los programas de médico especialista en un marco de cualificaciones nacional

“…En ausencia de una herramienta común, los países han clasificado estos programas de acuerdo a criterios administrativos autónomos. Se ha resumido la situación señalándose que existe consenso en que la formación de médico especialista corresponde a estudios más avanzados que el máster que entregan las escuelas de Medicina pero que estos son distintos al grado de Doctor en Medicina, porque están enfocados a la clínica, no tienen un componente de investigación habitual y, a veces, se dictan fuera de un contexto de educación superior 25 . La clasificación de los resultados de aprendizaje de la carrera de Medicina en el segundo ciclo, las evidencias surgidas de los marcos de cualificaciones y actas nacionales, y la validación de las especialidades médicas como certificación de tercer ciclo realizada por varios países sugieren que dicho nivel de cualificación es el correspondiente.…”

Report of the MEDINE2 Bachelor of Medicine (Bologna First Cycle) Tuning Project

“…In the original Tuning (Medicine) work, no consensus could be achieved on LO related to the practice of doing research for the Master of Medicine. No opinions were therefore sought on LO in research in the current study, but these were instead explored in a separate MEDINE2 study (Marz et al 2013).…”