CBME Subject Specific Competencies

Medical education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about developing real-world skills and attitudes that shape competent doctors. CBME structures learning in a way that ensures students gain expertise in a subject while also mastering critical competencies. But how are these competencies structured, assessed, and categorized? This section explores the framework of competency tables in CBME and how they help in shaping future medical professionals.

Structure of Competency Tables

CBME organizes subject-specific competencies into structured tables, ensuring clarity and consistency in medical education. These tables serve as blueprints for designing curricula and evaluating student progress.

1. Grouping by Topic

Competencies are organized within tables under specific topics for each subject.
Each competency is assessed in the context of broader learning outcomes, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of medical knowledge.

2. Domains of Learning

CBME emphasizes learning across multiple domains to ensure a well-rounded medical education:

Knowledge: Understanding fundamental medical concepts and theories.
Skills: Practical application of clinical techniques and procedures.
Attitudes: Development of professionalism, ethical responsibility, and empathy.
Communication: Ability to interact effectively with patients, families, peers, and healthcare teams.

3. Levels of Achievement

Each competency defines expected proficiency levels across different stages of learning:

Knows (K): Basic cognitive understanding of concepts.
Knows how (KH): Application of knowledge to solve clinical problems.
Shows how (SH): Demonstration of skills under supervision.
Performs (P): Independent performance of a competency, rarely required before internship.

4. Core and Non-Core Competencies

Core (Y): Essential competencies that every medical graduate must achieve for certification.
Non-Core (N): Additional desirable competencies that enhance expertise but are not mandatory.

5. Suggested Learning and Assessment Methods

Competencies are paired with suitable learning and assessment methods, such as:

Clinical evaluations, practical demonstrations, and OSCEs.
Written assessments and case-based discussions.
Skills certification through supervised training.

6. Certification Requirements

Certain competencies require practical certification.
Students must document the independent performance of these skills in their logbooks.

Competency Overview by Phases and Subjects

CBME categorizes competencies based on the phase of education, ensuring a progressive learning approach.

Phase I & II Subjects (Volume I): Pre-Clinical and Foundational Sciences

Subjects taught in the early years focus on foundational medical knowledge essential for future clinical practice.

Subject	Number of Topics	Number of Competencies
Anatomy	82	413
Physiology	12	136
Biochemistry	14	84
Pharmacology	10	92
Pathology	35	182
Microbiology	11	74
Forensic Medicine	14	158
Total	178	1139

Medicine and Allied Subjects (Volume II): Patient-Centered Competencies

As students enter clinical training, they focus on direct patient care and diagnostic reasoning.

Subject	Number of Topics	Number of Competencies
Community Medicine	20	136
General Medicine	29	525
Paediatrics	35	406
Psychiatry	13	17
Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy	15	48
Total	112	1132

Surgery and Allied Subjects (Volume III): Procedural and Interventional Skills

The final phase focuses on surgical and procedural training, ensuring competency in hands-on skills.

Subject	Number of Topics	Number of Competencies
General Surgery	30	133
Ophthalmology	10	60
Otorhinolaryngology	4	63
Obstetrics & Gynaecology	38	141
Orthopaedics	14	40
Anaesthesiology	11	52
Radiodiagnosis	7	21
Total	114	510

Understanding the Competency Tables

CBME competency tables serve as structured guides to ensure clarity in training and assessment. Their purpose is to:

Define clear learning outcomes: Ensuring students know what is expected of them at each stage.
Align student learning with assessment methods: Encouraging a balance of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Establish performance benchmarks: Competencies are evaluated using standardized assessments, with certifiable skills documented in student logbooks.

CBME brings a structured, competency-driven approach to medical education, ensuring that students progress from foundational knowledge to clinical expertise. The subject-specific competency tables provide a roadmap for:

Progressive skill development: From pre-clinical sciences to hands-on clinical care.
Objective assessment and certification: Ensuring medical graduates meet national standards.
Competency-based curricula across institutions: Standardizing education for future Indian Medical Graduates.

By organizing subjects into well-defined tables with measurable competencies, CBME ensures that every student is prepared for the realities of modern healthcare. This system is not just about passing exams it’s about shaping competent, ethical, and accountable doctors for the future of medicine in India.