The Education versus Training and the Skills versus Competency debate.

  • T Gibbs Professor of Medical Education and Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Kingdom of Bahrain.
  • D Brigden Visiting Professor of Professional Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town and Adviser for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, Mersey Deanery, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
  • D Hellenberg Professor of Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town.

Abstract

The essence of modern medical education lies in the ability of defining and developing its terminology, which all too often is used in a less than thoughtful and inappropriate manner. Educationalists place emphasis upon the concept of learning rather than teaching; learning which is specifically student centred and student directed learning rather than teacher centred didactic teaching. However within this change environment we still prefer to use the word training, as in vocational training, to describe a specific programme and aspire to levels of competency that hopefully match the learning outcomes of the programme. This article opens the debate on whether the satisfactory completion of a learning programme is sufficient ( cf completion of vocational training) or whether we should be assessing the learner through levels of defined competency relevant to their professional career. “Personally I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like to be taught Sir Winston Churchill. (SA Fam Pract 2004;46(10): 5-6)

Author Biographies

T Gibbs, Professor of Medical Education and Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Kingdom of Bahrain.
MBChB ( Liverpool), FRCGP, MMed Sci, ITLM, F F Hom.
D Brigden, Visiting Professor of Professional Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town and Adviser for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, Mersey Deanery, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
M Ed, M I Biol, ILTM.
D Hellenberg, Professor of Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town.
MBChB ( UCT), M. Fam Med, M F G P ( SA).
Published
2004-11-01
Issue
Vol 46, No 10 - November/December 2004
Section
Forum
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