The Question of Competence

Experts from the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands explore medical competency from different perspectives in order to spark thoughtful discussion and debate on the subject.

Brian D. Hodges is Vice-President Education at the University Health Network, Professor of Psychiatry, Scientist at the Wilson Centre for Research in Education, and Richard and Elizabeth Currie Chair in Health Professions Education Research at the University of Toronto. He is the author of The Objective Structured Clinical Examination. Lorelei Lingard is Professor in the Department of Medicine and Faculty of Education and Director of the Centre for Education Research & Innovation, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. She is coeditor of The Rhetoric and Ideology of Genre. M. Brownell Anderson is Senior Academic Officer, International Programs, National Board of Medical Examiners.

Parts of the text... present a long-needed critical view of various aspects of competency-based education and evaluation.... [L]et us hope that everyone involved in conceptualizing and enacting competence-based education and evaluation has a chance to read this book.

Ronald M. Harden, Professor of Medical Education, University of Dundee, and General Secretary, Association for Medical Education in Europe:

The move to competency-based education is the most important development in medical education in the past decade. This book provides a critical insight into the idea of competence from a range of disciplinary perspectives. It is refreshing and at the same time challenging to find a book that does not simply argue for or against the concept of competence, or provides a 'cookbook' prescription for specifying competence, but rather encourages the reader to have a creative vision of the nature of competence and the implications for medical education. All with an interest in the training of health care professionals will benefit from reading this book.

David M. Irby, UCSF School of Medicine:

If you think you understand competence, think again. The Question of Competence challenges all of our naïve notions about competency-based education and assessment through captivating narratives, multiple theoretical frameworks, empirical research,and applications to medical education. This book is a must-read for everyone invested in improving medical education.