Developing the medical education credential

Credentialing is a new process that has been proposed by the GMC as a means of recognising doctors’ capabilities in specific areas.

The process will entail the evidencing and formal accreditation of the knowledge, skills and performance in a defined area. The credential will demonstrate a doctor’s fitness to practice in that area. This development fits with the direction of travel set out in the Shape of Training Review (Greenaway 2013).

We have been commissioned by the Academy of Medical Educators and Wales Deanery to develop a credential in medical education. The credential in medical education will demonstrate how educators use their knowledge and skills within the workplace to support patient safety by their excellence as educators.

Our work for this project includes developing a reflective portfolio which sets out the required knowledge, skills and professional attitudes and exploring how they can be evidenced.

To achieve this we will consult with an advisory group, survey a wide range of medical educators about their views on how to recognise and assess evidence in medical education, and organise an event for prominent medical educators to share their views on how the credential should be developed.