Assessment of clinical competence of medical students: Future perspectives for Spanish Faculties

Medical education should foster professionals with knowledge and skills, professional attitudes, and social responsibilities. Undergraduate and postgraduate education and continuing professional development as specialist each have unique possibilities and responsibilities.

The use of varied assessment formats assist progression towards the expected program outcomes. An analysis of the main methods for assessing clinical competence is done. This will support students, provide confidence, and document the competence acquired; needed for safe practise, professional life-long learning, being a member of the medical knowledge community and a catalyst for a health promoting society.

Spanish medical schools have partially incorporated the Bologna Process, including the introduction of outcome-based medical education. With some exceptions however, they continue with non-integrated curricula, structured on independent subjects.

Instead, integrated and progressive competence assessment programs in horizontally and vertically integrated curricula should be established based on the programmatic assessment paradigm. This supports feedback and summative decisions for each student, to help them progress and reach the expected outcomes.