Is the habitual and judicious use of communication, knowledge, technical skills, clinical reasoning, emotions, values, and reflection in daily practice for the benefit of the individual and community being served.
Competence builds on a foundation of basic clinical skills, scientific knowledge, and moral development.
It includes:
- a cognitive function — acquiring and using knowledge to solve real-life problems
- an integrative function — using biomedical and psychosocial data in clinical reasoning
- a relational function — communicating effectively with patients and colleagues
- an affective/moral function — the willingness, patience, and emotional awareness to use these skills judiciously and humanely
Competence depends on habits of mind, including attentiveness, critical curiosity, self-awareness, and presence.
Professional competence is developmental, impermanent, and context-dependent.
Epstein R., Hundert E. Defining and assessing professional competence. JAMA 2002;287:226-235.