Challenges and perceived solutions in implementing competency-based undergraduate curriculum: A qualitative study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Competency-based medical education (CBME) is being implemented across India in medical colleges from the 2019 batch. Several new components are introduced which require focused faculty training and handholding at times. This study was conducted to explore the challenges faced by faculty and students of Phase 1 and Phase 2 MBBS during the implementation of a competency-based undergraduate curriculum with regard to curriculum planning and delivery, teaching–learning, and assessment; to determine the perceived/proposed solutions by the faculty and students to overcome the said challenges. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative study was done at the Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata among the faculty members and students of first and second phase of the MBBS CBME batch. This study was done over 10 months. Nonprobability purposive sampling was employed in the study. Free listing was done initially to elicit the views of faculty members to meet the intended objectives. Visual Anthropac software was used to identify the salient variables using Smith’s Salience Score. RESULTS: Twenty faculty members participated in the free listing and pile sorting. Moreover, total of 18 students also participated in the focus group discussion. A total of 20 responses were obtained about the key aspects of CBME, of which 15 were identified as the salient variables depending on the cutoff value of 0.15 (Smith’s Salience Score) and subjected to pile sorting. Similarly, 13 challenges were identified in the implementation of the program during the free listing, and all were included in the second stage of pile sorting. CONCLUSION: The majority of the responses by faculty and students being positive indicate that CBME is the need of the decade. Organizing orientation/sensitization sessions, following timetables, daily feedback, preparing the universal assessment tool, and emphasizing attitudes, ethics, and communication through a case-based module was the proposed solution.

Keywords

• curriculum
• feedback
• focus group
• medical education