Competency-based medical education (CBME) is an approach to training medical professionals that has arisen due to an increasing demand for a curriculum that offers measured or assessed outcomes that ensures the competency and proficiency of the graduates. Previous emphasis on the need for competency-based curricula for the training of oncology professionals in developing countries to enable them to effectively manage patients in the most professional and efficient manner has been made. The need for improvement in the oncology curricula also applies to most African countries and special emphasis had to be given to the need of incorporating competency-based learning and assessment. In the process of curriculum development it must be ensured that there will be improvement in the quality of the graduates. At the end of training learners should have acquired all the relevant knowledge attitude and skills to enable them to competently manage cancer patients.
Opportunities to develop Afrocentric and comprehensive CBME for cancer professionals exist and must be fully explored. To effectively develop such curricula, firstly a focused needs assessment has to be conducted to have information on the level of knowledge regarding required competencies. Goals have to be set addressing expectations of what learners should have acquired at the end of the training. These should be all the relevant knowledge attitude and skills to enable them to competently and comprehensively manage cancer patients in their respective fields of practice. Objectives of the training and educational strategies should be defined with the means of assessment to verify the acquisition of competencies clearly outlined. Use of educational portfolios is encouraged and curricula must be regularly evaluated.