The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that activities/educational interventions be developed in the context of desirable physician attributes, such as the six ACGME Core Competencies:
Patient Care requires physicians to demonstrate their abilities in providing patient care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the treatment of health problems and the program of health.
Medical Knowledge requires physicians to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.
Practice-based learning and improvement requires the physician to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self evaluation and life long learning. Physicians are expected to develop skills and habits to be able to:
- Identify strengths, deficiencies, and limits in one's knowledge and expertise;
- Set learning and improvement goals;
- Identify and perform appropriate learning activities;
- Systematically analyze practice, using quality improvement methods, and implement changes with the goal of practice improvement;
- Incorporate formative evaluation feedback into daily practice;
- Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients' health problems;
- Use information technology to optimize learning; and
- Participate in the education of patients, families, students, residents and other health professionals, as documented by evaluations of a resident's teaching abilities by faculty and/or learners.
Systems-based practice requires physicians to demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care. Physicians are expected to:
- Work effectively in various health care delivery settings and systems relevant to their clinical specialty
- Coordinate patient care within the health care system relevant to their clinical specialty;
- Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk benefit analysis in patient care;
- Advocate for quality patient care and optimal patient care systems;
- Work in interprofessional teams to enhance patient safety and improve patient care quality;
- Participate in identifying system errors and in implementing potential systems solutions.
Professionalism requires physicians to demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles. Physicians are expected to demonstrate:
- Compassion, integrity, and respect for others;
- Responsiveness to patient needs that supersedes self-interest;
- Respect for patient privacy and autonomy;
- Accountability to patients, society and the profession;
- Sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation
- Larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.
Interpersonal skills and communication requires the physician to develop skills that are effective in the exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals. Physicians are expected to develop skills and habits to be able to:
- Communicate effectively with patients, families, and the public, as appropriate, across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds;
- Communicate effectively with physicians, other health professionals, and health-related agencies;
- Work effectively as a member or leader of a health care team or other professional group;
- Act in a consultative role to other physicians and health professionals, and health-related agencies;
- Act in a consultative role to other physicians and health professionals; and
- Maintain comprehensive, timely and legible medical records, if applicable.