RCPI Help Centre

Your Curriculum

Your training curriculum is the most important document related to your training programme and should always be your primary resource. It defines the overarching Training Goals, Training Outcomes, expected learning experiences, instructional resources and assessments that comprise your BST programme. 

The training curriculum employs an Outcome Based Education (OBE) approach. This means your OBE curriculum prioritises the progression of your experience towards the achievement of Training Goals and Outcomes. 

Your BST curriculum is available on the RCPI website anytime. To access it, click on your specialty, and select the curriculum for the training year you commenced your BST programme. We highly recommend you download and/or bookmark your curriculum for easy reference throughout your BST.

What is an Outcome Based Education (OBE) curriculum?

An OBE approach aims to employ a usable and relatable curriculum that is aligned clearly with actual workplace practice. The training needs of the Trainee are prioritised in the design of the curriculum, focusing on what you need to do in order to gain mastery of the tasks expected from you. 

By adhering to an OBE curriculum design it is acknowledged that while the BST programme provides a standardised organisation of training overall, the individual experience of each Trainee may be different. Some skills you pick up quickly, others require more practice to achieve competency. Your OBE curriculum takes this into consideration by allowing flexibility to develop/advance at your own pace within the overall structure of the training programme. 

How does OBE work? 

In an OBE curriculum development, the first step is identifying the overarching Training Goals in your specialty. Each Training Goal is then broken down into specific Training Outcomes which outline necessary workplace skills or tasks. Criteria for measuring progression and competency in the Training Goals are determined and the steps to achieve the Outcomes are outlined in the curriculum.  

In addition to curricular requirements, with an OBE curriculum, there is a strong emphasis on the Trainee working with their Trainer to set personal goals for each training post. These goals are aligned with the concurrent phase of training and are reviewed through regular feedback and workplace-based assessment, as well as formal assessments (i.e. Quarterly Assessment/End of Post Assessment).

How to Use Your Curriculum

Both Trainees and Trainers require a good working knowledge of the curriculum and should use it as a guide for their training programme. 

For each training post, you are expected to develop your skills against each Training Goal and record evidence of training against each Outcome in your ePortfolio. 

You will meet with your Trainer to set out your goals for each training post in line with your curriculum. You’ll then be assessed to evaluate your progress. Your Trainer will determine if your progress meets expectations for that point in training. 

The key components of your curriculum are Training Goals, and the related Training Outcomes for each of these Goals. 

Training Goals

Your OBE curriculum identifies overarching Training Goals. These reflect the skills expected of a basic specialist and subspecialty areas considered of importance to Trainee development. 

You can find each Training Goal as a new heading in the curriculum document.

Example – Training Goal:

Training Outcomes

Each Training Goal is divided into achievable units of competency called Training Outcomes. Outcomes reflect closely the day-to-day practice of Trainees and offer a tangible link between service provision and the training programme. 

By the end of BST, you should demonstrate an ability to meet each Outcome. To achieve competency in each Outcome you may perform defined activities, such as:

• Recording case experiences 
• Receiving informal feedback 
• Undergoing workplace-based assessments
• Engaging with the BST Taught Programme
• Attending Study Days 
• Assessments and Evaluations 

You can find Outcomes under the main points of each Training Goal in your curriculum along with key indicators and areas of focus for feedback to help you achieve competency. 

Example - Outcome:

Assessment and Evaluation

As you progressively gain experience, you will have the opportunity to regularly self-assess and decide which areas require more focus for you to achieve your Training Goals. Through informal feedback as well as completion of formal assessments, your Trainer will review your progress, and decide if you can be signed off as competent in each Outcome. 

Trainers are encouraged to use the curriculum as the foundation of their discussions with Trainees, particularly during goal-setting, feedback and assessment processes. 

There are three key points of assessment within your training programme:

e.g. regular Feedback Opportunities and Workplace Based Assessments. Corresponding forms should be completed in ePortfolio to document training events.

The Trainee and Trainer will meet at the start of a post to discuss expectations and opportunities available, setting specific goals for the post. The Trainee and Trainer will then meet at the end of each quarter to review and evaluate progress against curriculum Training Goals and Outcomes, specific personal goals for the post and overall professionalism. Corresponding forms will be completed in ePortfolio.

The Trainee will attend an End of Year Evaluation at the end of each training year for the global assessment of performance (encompassing steps 1 and 2). The Trainee is expected to have all training records up to date and appropriately completed. A corresponding form will be completed in ePortfolio.

ePortfolio

Each Trainee is expected to engage with the curriculum by maintaining an ePortfolio in which training activities, assessments and feedback opportunities must be recorded. You can access ePortfolio anytime by logging into the RCPI Website and clicking the link to ePortfolio in your Digital Hub.

Your ePortfolio allows you to build up evidence of training and informs decisions on your progress at Quarterly/End of Post Assessments and End of Year Evaluations. It also provides tools to support you and identify further educational and development opportunities. It is imperative that you keep your ePortfolio up to date throughout your training programme. 

It’s important to note that ePortfolio is a digital repository designed to reflect curriculum requirements. It facilitates recording of progress through BST and evidence that training is valid and appropriate. While a complete ePortfolio is essential for BST certification, Trainees and Trainers should always refer to the curriculum in the first instance for information on the requirements of the training programme.

Need Help?

If you have any queries about using your curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact Helpdesk@rcpi.ie and we will be happy to assist you.