ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to review the development of competency-based education in cancer and palliative care over the last decade and to discuss the issues and implications for current and future curriculum development. Measuring the effectiveness of cancer and palliative care education is fraught with difficulty. The use of the word 'effective' in itself implies that there is an end point and outcome that is objective and achievable, but the reality is somewhat different. The sheer complexity of many clinical skills today demands that professions move beyond the 'see one, do one, show one' approach of old, and the fields of cancer and palliative care are good examples of the intricacy and blend of qualities and skills that are needed. Small-scale initiatives involving educational competencies for specific skills, such as delivering cytotoxic therapy and setting up syringe drivers, are already well thought out in healthcare trusts and hospices, and reflect local initiatives to improve care.
