EBU Announces the Curriculum for Urologic Training in Europe
-
Upload
stefan-mueller -
Category
Documents
-
view
212 -
download
0
Transcript of EBU Announces the Curriculum for Urologic Training in Europe
![Page 1: EBU Announces the Curriculum for Urologic Training in Europe](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022021403/5750735a1a28abdd2e8eff00/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Editorial
EBU Announces the Curriculum for Urologic Training in Europe
Stefan Mueller, Peter Whelan, Emanuele Montanari *
European Board of Urology, P.O. Box 30016, 6803 AA Arnhem, The Netherlands
E U R O P E A N U R O L O G Y 5 9 ( 2 0 1 1 ) 3 7 0 – 3 7 1
avai lable at www.sciencedirect .com
journal homepage: www.europeanurology.com
The European Board of Urology (EBU) European Curriculum
for Urology sets out a template for urologic training
throughout Europe and seeks to guide the breadth of
knowledge and skills that are necessary for the trainee to
become an independently practicing urologist. The curric-
ulum is neither a syllabus, which is an exhaustive document
containing the totality of contemporary urologic knowl-
edge, nor a practical handbook to produce a competent
urologic surgeon. Both of these functions, we believe, are
best served by national and regional bodies that currently
oversee training.
In accordance with European legislation, the minimum
period for specialty training is 5 yr. Because each individual
learns at his or her own particular rate, a purely time-
related scheme fails not only to acknowledge these differing
rates but also to allow for the different opportunities that
each training scheme may manifest.
The curriculum follows a logical framework starting with
the need for all to understand the basis of disease, history
taking, proper documentation, good communication, in-
formed consent, and adequate time management. Most of
these aspects will be generic to any medical training. The
need to act at all times in an ethical and professional
manner is emphasized. The information to deal with
emergency and elective cases is specified and the range
of knowledge is outlined, but the practical solutions, in an
ever-changing environment, are left to individual educators
and institutions. The importance and understanding of
evidence-based medicine underlies all of these areas.
In the past in many parts of Europe, the criterion for
adequate training was exclusively the log book of proce-
dures carried out. In many training schemes, specific
numbers of procedures were laid down to be completed
by the trainee, but although the assumption was that these
numbers indicated competence to do these procedures,
frequently no assessment of that competence was under-
taken. The EBU believes that although the accumulation of
* Tel. +390250323123; Fax: +390250323125.E-mail address: [email protected] (E. Montanari).
0302-2838/$ – see back matter # 2010 European Association of Urology. Publis
numbers in itself does not demonstrate satisfactory training
(something can be done badly 100 times as easily as
10 times), a number of ‘‘core’’ procedures must be carried
out competently to enable a urologist to practice indepen-
dently and safely. There are 14 procedures that, we believe,
trainees’ competence to perform is mandatory. All trainees
should be able to present a satisfactory skills assessment
record at the end of training. Even within this minimum
skill set, some procedures in some countries are carried out
by other specialties (eg, percutaneous nephrostomy by
interventional radiologists). Nevertheless, we hope that this
list will help focus the minds of trainers on whether such a
situation is satisfactory.
The assessment instrument that we have used is that of
our Danish colleagues, who have applied this tool success-
fully. We believe that, used sequentially, the tool will monitor
the trainees’ acquisition of skills. It sets a framework against
which theater behavior is judged and allows for specific
remedial measures to be enacted rather than relying on
impressions.
The curriculum also enables a log book of performed
procedures each year to be documented and for both
trainer and trainee to see how well the trainee is moving
toward independent operating. The lists incorporate most
procedures, but it is recognized that in some countries,
more complex procedures will not be taught until the
resident may have entered a fellowship year. In all this,
there will be diversity, but we believe the core elements are
fundamental.
Learning is a lifelong process, and the likelihood that
large areas of urologic disease will be treated and managed
without surgical intervention becomes more apparent each
day. The EBU recognizes that these developments will occur
but passionately believes that the care of a patient with
urologic disease is best delivered by a trained urologist. The
urologist, like the ophthalmologist, delivers system-specific
therapies. Already, more patients with urologic disease are
hed by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2010.11.034
![Page 2: EBU Announces the Curriculum for Urologic Training in Europe](https://reader031.fdocuments.in/reader031/viewer/2022021403/5750735a1a28abdd2e8eff00/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
E U R O P E A N U R O L O G Y 5 9 ( 2 0 1 1 ) 3 7 0 – 3 7 1 371
treated medically than surgically, but the skill to deliver all
urologic therapies remains paramount.
As part of this process, the curriculum enables all trainees
to keep an accurate record of their attendance at congresses,
workshops, and courses, together with a list of congress
presentations and publications in journals. Failure to adapt
and keep up frequently ensures that areas of urologic practice
get taken over by other specialties that focus on drugs or
techniques, with no consideration for the patients’ total
urologic care. The ability to demonstrate awareness of
change and how to implement that change is an integral part
of learning.
The EBU will have a dedicated Web site for the curriculum
that will be accessible to all European trainees. It will enable
trainees to know how well they are doing in relation to their
own national colleagues as well as to other residents across
Europe. It will also furnish trainers with information about
how the trainees are doing and the extent of their training in
comparison to trainees throughout Europe.
The EBU also provides an annual in-service assessment of
knowledge to allow both trainees and trainers to monitor
progress. It is hoped that the curriculum can be made of use
in all systems of training, even if it may need to sit alongside
a more prescriptive national model. As this curriculum will
enable easy comparison, the European goal of greater
harmonization will be one step closer. The fellow of the EBU
(FEBU) of the future will have sat in-service tests of
knowledge, passed practical assessments, and shown
competence in the core procedures. On passing the final
written and oral examinations, the FEBU will be a safe,
competent, independent urologist.
The immense efforts and resources that the European
Association of Urology has devoted to teaching and
training through its congresses, workshops, and training
courses over the last 20 years means that the current
publication of the European curriculum is appropriate.
The hopes and common goals are that urologic care can be
delivered safely and expertly by urologists who will be
recognized as the correct specialists for managing all
urologic maladies.
Conflicts of interest: The author has nothing to disclose.