Higher medical training in pharmaceutical medicine: Delphi exercise on clinical development advanced module and course delivery and assessment

Summary

A Delphi exercise was undertaken to develop the curriculum in pharmaceutical medicine necessary for each advanced training module that will lead to the award of a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Medical Training. The Delphi exercise used a panel for each module to identify the range of competencies and define the knowledge and skills required to fulfil the professional roles and responsibilities of a pharmaceutical physician.

For the clinical development module, 52% (16/31) of Delphi correspondents identified responded in the first phase and 63% (10/16) went on to complete the second phase. Statements were weighted using mean scores achieved to allow the Faculty to assess relative merits for each independent statement. The highest weighted competency statements for the clinical development module related to therapy area review. The lowest weighted competency statements concerned conduct of the study, and interpretation of results and clinical studies.

The first phase of the Delphi exercise for each module contained a course delivery and assessment section which was completed by 127 (67%) of the 190 Delphi correspondents identified. The results show that respondents consider the course should comprise a variety of training methods with clear objectives and a structured approach to guided self-learning. Assessment should use a mix of question types with continuous assessment a significant part of that. The importance of good communication for students was stressed with contact with tutors and contemporaries and personalised feedback from assessments.