Objectives and competencies in Health Sciences curricula

Code:

MEAC16_13

Acronym:

OCCCC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Teacher Training

Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education
Course/CS Responsible:	Academic and Clinical Education

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEAC	9	Current Studies Plan	1	-	3	21	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Competency-based health sciences education has emerged as an important concept in recent years. This curricular unit is intended to approach the competency models and the way they are defined.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this unit, students should be able to:

- Know the international contextualization of teaching based on the development of skills
- Discuss the importance and the need to develop learning objectives and competencies
- Develop learning objectives for health modules and programs

Working method

Presencial

Program

Bologna education reform and the ongoing developments leading to the use of learning outcomes.  Curriculum design through learning outcomes: strengthening the relationship between teaching, learning and assessment. Learning outcomes: purposes,  elements and characteristics. Advantages and disadvantages. Cognitive (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation), affective (issues relating to the emotional component of learning) and psychomotor (mainly emphasising physical skills involving co‐ordination of the brain and muscular activity) domains of learning outcomes. Action Verbs to describe learning outcomes. The difference between aims, objectives and learning outcomes. Guidelines for defining and writing learning outcomes for health sciences curricula.

Mandatory literature

Tekian A, Hodges BD, Roberts TE, Schuwirth L, Norcini J ; Assessing competencies using milestones along the way. , Med Teach 37: 399-402., 2015
Mullan PB, Williams J, Malani PN, Riba M, Haig A, Perry J, Kolars JC, Mangrulkar R, Williams B. ; Promoting medical students' reflection on competencies to advance a global health equities curriculum., BMC Med Educ. May 3;14:91. , 2014
Frank JR, Snell LS, Cate OT, Holmboe ES, Carraccio C, Swing SR, Harris P, Glasgow NJ, Campbell C, Dath D, Harden RM, Iobst W, Long DM, Mungroo R, Richardson DL, Sherbino J, Silver I, Taber S, Talbot M, Harris KA; Competency-based medical education: theory to practice. , Med Teach 32: 638-45. , 2010
Morcke AM, Dornan T, Eika B.; Outcome (competency) based education: an exploration of its origins, theoretical basis, and empirical evidence. , Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract 18: 851-63., 2013

Complementary Bibliography

Kennedy, D. ; Writing and Using Learning Outcomes. , Cork: Quality Promotion Unit, UCC., 2007

Teaching methods and learning activities

The unit program involves a total of 21 hours distributed by lectures, theoretical-practical and seminars. Multiple essays, individual and in group, of application of action verbs to describe learning objectives, and the elaboration of curricular plans will serve as preparation for the final assessment of the UC.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	70,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	60,00
Frequência das aulas	21,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance 75%.

Calculation formula of final grade

Assessment wil be based on the result of a novel curricular unit created taking into account all the knowledge and approaches provided in this course (70%) and its oral presentation (30%). 

Classification improvement

Students wishing to improve their grade in the appeal period will have to take a final exam (100 per cent).