FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCIES AMONG THE MEDICINE STUDENTS AT LAVAL UNIVERSITY (QUÉBEC, CANADA)

A competency-based curriculum must adapt its teaching and evaluation methods. But how does one monitor the acquisition of competencies in students? The Laval University Faculty of Medicine (Québec, Canada) has elaborated a formal process to document competency development in medical students.

This innovative programme is based on a series of longitudinal courses spread over the entire curriculum. These courses aim to impart students with the seven key competencies of the programme. At the core of this structured process is the development of the competency known as « erudition ».The courses empower the student to build his own identity as a future health professional, to develop his personal view of his profession, and to participate actively in the acquisition of said competencies based on guidelines provided by the programme.

The monitoring of competency development during the preclerkship is separated into three parts. In each part the student must reflect on and autoevaluate his progress, as well as evaluate the pertinence of the internal and external resources he employed to achieve competency. Each part is linked to integrative courses that target specific competencies. In the context of these courses, the student undergoes both formative and summative evaluations. Progress towards the achievement of competencies specifically is evaluated by a course instructor.

The results of the evaluations conducted in integrative courses are collated into a web-based « dashboard » that informs the student of his strengths and weaknesses in competency development. This information orients the subsequent development, by the student, of remedial work that must be accomplished to improve selected competencies. Throughout this process, the student is accompanied by a mentor who will provide the student with feedback and guidance regarding competency development and remedial actions.

Since this programme was initiated 4 years ago, we have observed an improvement in competency development in students. An internal study revealed that this approach promotes student engagement towards learning activities, self-teaching and reflective practices in line with competency development and lifelong learning. The aim of this presentation is to describe this innovative pedagogical approach and its beneficial effects on student attitudes towards learning.