Background – About the Curriculum Development Project Curriculum Advisory Committee

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Background – About the Curriculum Development Project
The Curriculum Development Project is an initiative of the Education Boards and was endorsed in principle at Council's meeting of 13 August 2004. At the subsequent Council meeting of 11 February 2005, it was decided to base the project around the CanMEDS roles framework.

The Project is underway and the Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) held its first meeting on the 21st February 2005. This committee is comprised of a cross-section of the College; its membership is listed below. Membership was by expression of interest.

It was originally envisaged that this project would run in tandem with a project entitled Principles of Training Programs. Expressions of interest were also called for this committee toward the end of 2004. It has been decided to combine these two groups initially to form the Curriculum Advisory Committee.

At it's meeting the Committee workshopped the CanMEDS roles framework. They participated in activities assessing how the tasks performed in their day to day work fit into the various role descriptors and how these descriptors could be written to specifically reflect the work of a Radiologist or Radiation Oncologist.

The role of this committee initially was to provide advice to the Education Board and Dr Peter Harris and the team from UNSW (project consultants) on how best to engage the wider Fellowship and progress this important project.

Dr Harris and the team from UNSW have also been meeting with some of the major committees of the College since February including Council, Faculty Board, both Education Boards and the Radiology CPD and Faculty Post-Fellowship Education Committees. The outcomes of the meetings of these various committees in terms of role statements were posted on the website for further comment.

This table indicates the steps of the curriculum development process.

The first half of the project consisted of widespread consultations with various groups, committees and individuals in the College. The main task here was to determine the high-level competencies required of the radiologist and radiation oncologist both now and in the future.

Stage 2 of the project involved developing the curricula from these high-level competencies in more detail by identifying theme areas and eventually drafting curriculum statements around key areas.

For more information on writing learning outcomes, click the following links:

• Writing Learning Outcomes
  
• Verbs for Writing Outcomes

As these role definitions were expanded into themes the unique features of each specialty were expressed. Each group made further progress identifying themes and examples that explain the nature of the professional tasks of the specialist. The next step was to start work on writing learning outcomes that are required at key stages of training, i.e., Part 1, Part 11, and Fellowship.

Once the Committee has successfully identified the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (competencies) they agreed trainees should exhibit, they considered how a trainee may go about acquiring these competencies. Finally discussion turned to how these competencies may be assessed. Both groups have decided to move towards a portfolio approach to assessment. A learning portfolio is a collection of evidence of a trainee’s learning. It was also agreed that the curricula would include both formative and summative assessment.

Curriculum Advisory Committee Membership:

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