Competency-based goals, objectives, and linked evaluations for rheumatology training programs: a standardized template of learning activities from the Carolinas Fellows Collaborative.

OBJECTIVE: American Council on Graduate Medical Education program requirements mandate that rheumatology training programs have written goals, objectives, and performance evaluations for each learning activity. Since learning activities are similar across rheumatology programs, we aimed to create competency-based goals and objectives (CBGO) and evaluations that would be generalizable nationally.
METHODS: Through an established collaboration of the 4 training programs' directors in North Carolina and South Carolina, we collaboratively composed CBGO and evaluations for each learning activity for rheumatology training programs. CBGO and linked evaluations were written using appropriate verbs based on Bloom's taxonomy. Draft documents were peer reviewed by faculty at the 4 institutions and by members of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Clinician Scholar Educator Group.
RESULTS: We completed templates of CBGO for core and elective rotations and conferences. Templates detail progressive fellow performance improvement appropriate to educational level. Specific CBGO are mirrored in learning activity evaluations. Templates are easily modified to fit individual program attributes, have been successfully implemented by our 4 programs, and have proven their value in 4 residency review committee reviews.
CONCLUSION: We propose adoption of these template CBGO by the ACR, with access available to all rheumatology training programs. Evaluation forms that exactly reflect stated objectives ensure that trainees are assessed using standardized measures and that trainees are aware of the learning expectations. The objectives mirrored in the evaluations closely align with the proposed milestones for internal medicine training, and will therefore be a useful starting point for creating these milestones in rheumatology.