8: Implications for Policymaking and Practitioners in an International Context

Within a general framework, the implications for policymaking may be differentiated in two levels: a central and a local level. Broadly speaking, the reference model should be adopted nationally, with a greater range for discretion about specific issues locally to address context-specific characteristics. Precisely because of these various differences, an in-depth analysis should be conducted by accredited experts and experienced practitioners at the central and the local level of administration; the former to drive general guidance nationally and the latter to adapt it to specific contexts.

On the central level, an agency has to be established to maintain and further refine the online assessment platform, as suggested in the reference model, with the aim to better tailor the programme syllabus and evaluate participant improvement at the end of the course. Furthermore, a monitoring system based on Kirkpatrick's model should be managed by the central administration to assess trainee progress, building on uniform evaluation criteria that allow, inter alia, comparative analysis of the courses provided. Finally, the national agency should take charge of integrating undergraduate courses with topics on leadership and teamwork so that junior doctors gain basic insights into these critical issues.