Another important factor has been the shift toward
competency-based education. At first glance, this seems just
the right thing learners will be taught and then assessed not
only on what they know, but mostly on what they can do. Yet
at its core, competency-based education means setting the
same bar for every learner and doing so at the same
relatively low level. Once the educational focus is on
competency, the attainment of excellence moves to the back
burner. Furthermore, by expecting every student and resident
to focus on the same competencies, we tend to overlook each
learner's distinctive interests, aptitudes, and experiences,
which often end up suffering from inattention.
