What is one of the roles emphasized by the CanMEDS framework?

The CanMEDS framework was developed to define the competencies required of a physician in Canada and emphasizes the importance of the "medical expert" role. This role is central to the framework as it encompasses the core medical knowledge, clinical skills, and ethical considerations necessary for effective patient care. Medical experts are expected to integrate, apply, and demonstrate their medical knowledge in order to provide high-quality care, which includes not only treating illness but also promoting health and preventing disease.

The medical expert role is about applying clinical reasoning and judgment, utilizing evidence-based medicine, and maintaining appropriate relationships with patients. Mastery in this area is crucial for physicians as it establishes the foundation upon which other roles in the CanMEDS framework, such as communicator, collaborator, and advocate, are built. Each of these roles interacts with and supports the medical expert role, but it is the expertise in clinical medicine that is emphasized as the primary and defining characteristic of medical practice.