Outcome-driven learning
NMC Competency-Based Medical Education
Every MedNext chapter maps to NMC competency codes so you can track exactly what you know and what you still need to cover.
- chapters mapped to NMC codes
- 410+
- subjects covered
- 19
- competency levels (K/KH/SH/P)
- 4
What CBME actually means for your exams
Competency-Based Medical Education is the NMC's replacement for the old lecture-and-recall curriculum. Instead of listing topics, CBME defines measurable outcomes: what a student must be able to know, demonstrate or perform at the end of each teaching block. The entire MBBS syllabus is now expressed as numbered competency codes, grouped by subject and system.
This matters for exam preparation because both university exams and national entrance tests (NEET-PG, INI-CET, FMGE) are increasingly aligned to these coded outcomes. A question on renal clearance, for example, maps to PY7.4; a question on informed consent maps to FM3.2. Studying by competency code rather than by textbook chapter ensures you cover exactly what the examining bodies expect.
MedNext structures its entire 411-chapter library around these codes. Each chapter carries its NMC competency mapping, so you can audit your coverage subject by subject and identify gaps before they become surprises on exam day.
The four competency levels explained
NMC assigns every competency one of four levels that define how deeply a student must engage with the topic. Understanding these levels tells you whether a topic demands recall, reasoning, a supervised skill or independent clinical performance.
K - Know
The student should be able to recall and describe the topic. These competencies test factual knowledge: definitions, classifications, mechanisms. Most first-year basic science codes fall here.
KH - Know How
The student should be able to explain and apply the knowledge to clinical scenarios. KH competencies appear as clinical vignette questions in NEET-PG and INI-CET, testing reasoning rather than recall.
SH - Show How
The student should be able to demonstrate the skill in a simulated or supervised setting. OSCE stations and university practical exams assess SH competencies, such as performing a systemic examination.
P - Perform
The student must be able to perform the skill independently on a patient. P-level competencies define what an intern should do unsupervised, such as inserting a nasogastric tube or conducting a normal delivery.
How MedNext maps content to competency codes
Every chapter in MedNext carries one or more NMC competency codes. Physiology chapters reference PY codes, Surgery chapters reference SU codes, Paediatrics chapters reference PE codes, and so on across all 19 subjects. This mapping is not cosmetic: it determines which MCQs appear in a chapter, which revision sheets link to it, and how coverage audits work.
When you open a subject in the MedNext app, you see chapters organised by their NMC grouping. Competency codes are visible on each chapter page, so you know exactly which outcomes you are working on. If a university internal asks you to prepare SU5 (wounds and wound healing), you can locate the matching chapter, its detailed notes, its revision cheat sheet and its practice questions in one place.
This structure also helps when working across subjects. A clinical topic like diabetic ketoacidosis touches Biochemistry (BI codes), Physiology (PY codes) and Medicine (IM codes). The competency mapping lets you trace each thread back to its source subject and confirm you have covered all the angles the NMC expects.
Frequently asked questions
Is CBME relevant if I am preparing for NEET-PG, not university exams?
Yes. NEET-PG and INI-CET question patterns increasingly reflect NMC competency outcomes. Applied clinical vignettes map directly to KH and SH level competencies, and studying by code ensures you do not miss outcomes that the examiners treat as core.
How do competency codes differ from textbook chapter headings?
A textbook chapter covers a broad topic (e.g. 'Haematology'). Competency codes break that topic into specific, assessable outcomes (e.g. PY2.3: describe haemoglobin synthesis, functions and breakdown). Codes are narrower and tell you the expected depth.
Does MedNext cover all NMC competency codes or only selected ones?
MedNext maps its full 411-chapter library to NMC codes across all 19 subjects. Coverage is comprehensive for K and KH level competencies. SH and P level skills are supported with procedural guides and clinical case scenarios where applicable.
Can I filter MCQs by competency code?
Each MCQ is tagged with the NMC competency code of its parent chapter. When you practise within a chapter, you are automatically working on the competencies mapped to that chapter.
Which subjects use CBME codes on MedNext?
All 19 MBBS subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesia and Radiology.
Start studying the NMC competency-based curriculum
Access MedNext-authored notes, MCQs and revision tools mapped to every NMC competency code across all 19 MBBS subjects.
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