Sub-competencies within skills

Skills within the portfolio can be subdivided into sub-competencies. A sub-competency describes a specific element or behavior that must be mastered to master the overall skill. Examples of such subdivisions include milestones or CanMEDS competencies.

Functioning and assessment of sub-competencies

Sub-competencies have their own assessment scale, which can be independent of the entrustment levels used for the overarching skill. A single sub-competency can be relevant to multiple different skills. An assessment within the context of one specific skill also contributes to the overall development of that sub-competency across the entire portfolio.

When an assessment form is started for a skill, the relevant sub-competencies are automatically displayed. Depending on the setup of the educational program, sub-competencies can be assessed in different ways:

• The assessor is asked to evaluate each sub-competency individually.
• The assessor only evaluates the level of independence for the overarching skill, after which the system automatically estimates the appropriate level for the underlying sub-competencies.

Viewing sub-competencies

You can find information about sub-competencies in two different locations within the platform:

• On the skill detail page: the Sub-competencies tab provides an overview of all sub-competencies relevant to that specific skill. This shows how the learner is performing on the sub-competency in the context of that specific skill.
• In the side menu under Sub-competencies: this section provides an overview of all sub-competencies in the portfolio. The detail page for a sub-competency contains information about the learner's overall development and an overview of the various skills for which the sub-competency is relevant.

Updated on: 08/05/2026