Development of a portfolio framework for implementation of an outcomes-based healthcare professional education curriculum using a modified e-Delphi method

Abstract

BackgroundThe explicit declaration of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) and milestones are an essential component of a competency based medical education curricula. The present study attempts to develop a portfolio framework to document them for adaptation in any healthcare professional education curriculum development. MethodsA modified e-Delphi method was used after incorporation of a study group of medical education experts (MEDEX-G). Consensus was defined as 75% agreement. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analysed to conduct three rounds of the Delphi. ResultsThe draft template was prepared by the core faculty of medical education centre. The final template was approved by the experts after 03 iterations of anonymous online voting and presentation of summary results by the moderator. The final template lists out the milestones of each EPA separately with provision for expected expertise and level, suggestive teaching learning activities and assessments, reflections by the students and feedback by facilitator for each EPA. ConclusionThe MEDEX-G consensus template is an important development to encourage the adoption of portfolios in a competency based medical education curriculum. It can be freely adopted by various healthcare professional education bodies in various disciplines.