Beyond competency-based continuing professional development.

ABSTRACT

Competency based medical education (CBME) has become the default for undergraduate and post-graduate medical education (PGME) but its role in continuing professional development (CPD) is under discussion. Some critical differences between CPD and PGME are identified and these differences applied to the relative roles of competence and performance; existing criticisms of CBME; heutagogy as a learning theory; and post-modernism as an underlying philosophical perspective. The argument is made that the characteristics of CPD fit with performance based medical education, a heutagogical learning theory, a focus on capabilities, rather than competencies; and a post-modern perspective.