Facilitators’ perspective towards implementation of Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) in a Government Medical College in Delhi: a cross-sectional study

Competency-Based Medical Education has emerged as a transformative approach to medical education worldwide. It focuses on the overall development of trainee physicians to ensure effective and safe patient care. To evaluate faculty members’ perspectives on Competency-Based Medical Education and identify perceived challenges for its implementation in a medical college in Delhi. A cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2022 among 127 faculty members of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. Data were collected using a validated self-developed questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha: 0.85). The median age of the faculty members was 42 years, with a median teaching experience of 10 years. Ninety-one percent of faculty members were aware of Competency-Based Medical Education, and 88% believed it to be superior to the previous curriculum. Integrated teaching (62%) and early clinical exposure (55%) were identified as the most anticipated benefits. Faculty members cited infrastructural deficits (93%) and competing time demands and priorities (85%) as major barriers to implementation. To address the challenges, the National Medical Commission should ensure the availability of sufficient infrastructure and provide regular training programs for faculty members. Assessing the introduction of Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) in India (implemented in 2019), it found positive faculty awareness (91%) and preference (88%), emphasizing benefits like integrated teaching and early clinical exposure. Identified challenges include infrastructural deficits (93%) and time constraints (85%).