The new competencies and their impact on resident training in ophthalmology

Changes in the health care environment and the evolving needs of external stakeholders have created a demand for a new set of competencies in residency training. This article reviews the forces that have shaped the development of the new competencies; defines the specific Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies; describes the tools that might be used to measure these competencies; introduces current concepts and terms in the field of post-graduate medical education; and summarizes an implementation plan for ophthalmology. Meeting the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies will require the development of a toolbox for measurement outcomes and a reinvention of the residency training process in ophthalmology. A coordinated, thoughtful, and standardized effort will be required to meet the challenge.