Understanding competence assessment culture: A qualitative study.

The findings highlight how locally situated cultural understandings shape competence assessment within a formally structured CBME context. The gap between assessment practices and real-world readiness raises concerns regarding the legitimacy of certification, especially in settings lacking a structured educational continuum. Advancing CBME requires interpretive engagement and contextual responsiveness. Exploring how faculty members understand competence assessment offers a key entry point for examining culture and encouraging actions that support CBME in fulfilling its social mandate and reaffirming medical education as a public good.