Assessment of Competence: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education/Residency Review Committee Perspective

Abstract

Competency is an individual trait. As an agency that accredits programs and institutions, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) does not define or access competency. However, in the past 15 years the ACGME has promulgated several initiatives to aid programs in the assessment of the competence of their residents and fellows. Those initiatives include the Outcomes Project (which codified the competencies), the Milestones, and the Clinical Learning Environment Review Program. In the near future, the ACGME will implement an initiative by which programs can develop and study the results of competency-based residency curricula.

Keywords: Clinical Learning Environment Review; Competencies; Competency-based resident education; Milestones; Outcomes project.