Knowledge Area 2 Teaching and research

Capability in Practice (CiP)

2: The doctor is able to successfully work within health organisations
6: The doctor takes an active role in helping self and others to develop
8: The doctor is effective as a teacher and supervisor of healthcare professionals

Summary Knowledge Requirements

PART 1 MRCOG

Principles of screening, clinical trial design (multicentre, randomised controlled trials, etc.) and the statistical methods used in clinical research
Levels of evidence, quantification of risk, power of study, level of significance, informed consent and ethical and regulatory approvals in research
Principles of safe prescribing, quality control in medicine and the accuracy of tests

PART 2 MRCOG

Understand quality improvement and management
Understand the production and application of clinical standards, guidelines and care pathways and protocols
Demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles of risk management and their relationship to clinical governance and complaints procedures
Demonstrate the skills needed to critically appraise scientific trials and literature
Understand the principles of adult learning
Understand the principles and legal issues surrounding research and teaching

PART 3 MRCOG

Understand the principles of adult learning
Demonstrate aptitude in teaching common practical procedures in O&G
Understand quality improvement and management
Understand how to perform, interpret and use clinical audit cycles
Understand the production and application of clinical standards, guidelines and care pathways and protocols
Demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles of risk management and their relationship to clinical governance and complaints procedures
Understand the difference between audit and research
Understand how to plan a research project
Demonstrate the skills needed to critically appraise scientific trials and literature
Understand the principles and legal issues surrounding informed consent, with particular awareness of the implications for the unborn child, post mortem examinations, consent to surgical procedures including sterilisation, parental consent and Fraser guidelines, medical certification, research and teaching
Demonstrate awareness of the relevant strategies to ensure confidentiality, and when it might be broken
Understand the role of interpreters and patient advocates

Detailed Knowledge Requirements

Understand the principles of adult learning
Understand the skills and practices of a competent teacher
Understand the principles of giving feedback
Understand the principles of evaluation
Identify teaching strategies appropriate to adult learning
Identification learning theories, principles, needs and styles relevant to medical education
Demonstrate knowledge of literature relevant to current developments in medical education and other sectors
Define the roles of the various bodies involved in medical education and other sectors
Outline the appropriate local course of action to assist a trainee experiencing difficulty in making progress within their training programme
Understand the difference between appraisal, assessment and performance review
Understand the importance of an appraisal and the qualities of a good appraiser
Know the advantages and disadvantages of different study methodologies (quantitative and qualitative) for different types of questions at appraisal
Know the principles of appraisal and the structure of the appraisal interview
Understand the principles of mentoring
Understand levels of evidence and quality of evidence
Understand the difference between appraisal and assessment
Understand the reasons for assessment
Know different assessment methods and when to use them appropriately
Be aware of the differences between formative and summative assessment
Outline the role of workplace-based assessments, the assessment tools in use, their relationship to course learning outcomes, the factors that influence their selection and the need for monitoring evaluation
Understand the purpose of each assessment used within the MRCOG examination
Understand the difference between a reliable and a valid assessment
Understand the purpose of recertification and revalidation
Understand the range of uses of clinical data and its effective interpretation
Be aware of the confidentiality issues
Understand the audit cycle
Understand clinical effectiveness: Principles of evidence-based practice, Types of clinical trial/evidence classification, Grades of recommendation
Understand guidelines and integrated care pathways. Know how to formulate these and be aware of the advantages and disadvantages
Understand the different methods of obtaining data for audit including patient feedback questionnaires, hospital sources and national reference data
Understand the role of audit i.e. improving patient care and services, risk management etc
Understand the steps involved in completing the audit cycle
Describe the working uses of national and local databases used for audit such as specialty data collection systems, cancer registries etc, and for reporting and learning from clinical incidents and near misses in the UK
Understand the definitions and relevance of levels of evidence
Understand the development and implementation of clinical guidelines, integrated care pathways and protocols
Understand the organisational framework for clinical governance at local, regional and national levels
Understand standards e.g. NSF, NICE, RCOG guidelines
Understand quality improvement methodologies and a range of methods
Know the principles of risk management and their relationship to clinical governance
Understand the basic measures of risk and uncertainty
Be aware of particular issues pertinent to the specialty and to trainees specifically
Understand potential sources of risk and risk management tools, techniques and protocols
Understand best practice, transparency and consistency
Outline the features of a safe working environment
Outline the hazards of clinical equipment in common use
Recall side effects and contraindications of prescribed medications
Recall the components of safe working practice in the personal, clinical and organisational settings
Outline human factors theory and understand its impact on safety
Understand root cause analysis
Understand significant event analysis
Outline local procedures and protocols for optimal practice including early warning systems
Understand root cause analysis
Understand significant event analysis
Understand processes for dealing with and learning from clinical errors, including the management of complaints procedures risk management incidents/ near miss reporting complaints management litigation and claims management
Keep abreast of national patient safety initiatives including NPSA. NCEPOCD reports, NICE guidelines
Be aware of how healthcare governance influences patient care, research and educational activities at a local, regional and national level
Ensure patient/ user involvement
Outline methods and associated problems of quantifying risk e.g. cohort studies
Outline the concepts and drawbacks of quantitative assessment of risk or benefit e.g. numbers needed to treat
Describe commonly used statistical methodology
Know how relative and absolute risks are derived and the meaning of the terms: predictive value, sensitivity and specificity, in relation to diagnostic tests
Understand the difference between audit and research
Know how to apply statistics in scientific and medical practice
Understand how to plan and analyse a research project
Understand statistical methods
Know the principles of research ethics and conflicts of interest
Outline the GMC guidance on good practice in research
Know about local and national research guidelines
Know the principles of research governance. Describe how clinical guidelines are produced
Demonstrate a knowledge of research principles
Outline the principles of formulating a research question and designing a project
Comprehend principal qualitative, quantitative, biostatistical and epidemiological research methods
Demonstrate good verbal and written presentations skills
Have knowledge of research methods and how to evaluate scientific publications including the limitations of different methodologies for collecting data
Define the role of the Caldicott Guardian and Information Governance lead within an institution, and outline the process of attaining Caldicott approval for audit or research
Understand the principles of patient and public involvement
Involve patients in decision making
Know about quality improvement methodologies including a range of methods for obtaining feedback from patients and the public