The amended Model Specialty Training Regulations for vascular surgery

Background: In 2010, the German Medical Association commissioned the Federal Chamber of Physicians (FCP) to prepare an amendment to the Model Specialty Training Regulations (MSTR). In order to maintain long-term validity of the content of the specialty training, despite exponential knowledge growth and a continuously changing framework, for the first time, the foundation for this amendment comprises a competence-based graduate profile. Objective: The present report describes the background to the development of the amendment, as well as the didactic background, formal structure and the structured contents of version 2a for the specialist vascular surgery training. Result: During several years of development, the FCP has repeatedly edited the basic framework and added a glossary. The previous classification into articles, sections, specialty, subspecialty and additional training was retained. The general and special continuing education contents, which are divided into further educational blocks, are depicted in a two-part competency structure. For each content, this determines whether cognitive, methodological or acting competence is to be achieved and whether this competence has to be displayed under supervision or unsupervised. Indicative figures are only required for self-employed competence. The MSTR for vascular surgery is currently divided into 13 further educational blocks with a total of 47 competencies specially required for vascular surgery, of which 21 are given with minimum figures. Discussion: The current version 2a was officially presented to the annual general meeting of the FCP 2017 and subsequently will be developed, whereby a new logbook format with a revised competency system is expected to be implemented. The final adoption is scheduled for 2018. It is to be hoped that this amendment, in the future, will enable specialists to better prepare themselves for professional practice and the continuously changing requirements, thus, justifying the high effort and the difficult consensus of this current initiative. © 2017, Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH.