[Master trainer concept "structured specialist further education" : A joint project of the German Professional Associations of Internal Medicine, Surgeons and Orthopedic/Trauma Surgeons].

BACKGROUND

The quality requirements in the practice of postgradual medical further education below the normal level of the further education regulations is a barely developed scientific field in Germany. A systematic use of internationally accepted scientific evidence barely exists.

AIM

This research and development project was initiated in 2001 in order to be able to implement a practical but evidence-based model compatible with the existing structure of postgradual medical education. This project has been supported since 2013 by the Professional Associations of Internal Medicine (BDI), Surgeons (BDC) and Orthopedic and Trauma surgeons (BVOU).

METHODS

The development phase of this complex intervention was based on three stages involving stakeholder interviews from relevant groups, the identification of a theoretical model for the construction and systematic literature reviews to identify the relevant evidence.

RESULTS

The basic model for structured specialist further education developed included the creation and implementation of a simple core curriculum for every department, a tool for systematic feedback within the framework of the annual further education interviews and a simple clinical assessment to evaluate the actual clinical performance of physicians in further education. A pilot test of this model was carried out in 150 specialist departments in Germany and continually developed.

DISCUSSION

The project shows that such a program can be systematically developed and pilot studies can be carried out. The central problems in implementation involve the traditional informal further education culture, which as a rule does not implement a systematic elicitation of the state of learning continuously distributed over the whole period of further education and the practical testing of competence development.