Abstract
BackgroundWhile literature on the theoretical value of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for assessment is rapidly expanding, little experience exists on its application. The aims of this study are to develop and explore the utility of an EPA-based assessment tool for capturing the workplace performance of final-year medical students based on a full set of end-of-training EPAs.MethodsThe tool was developed in a systematic iterative process. Twelve 12 end-of-undergraduate medical training EPAs were nested into 72 smaller EPAs and cross-mapped onto a 6-point supervision level scale, both adjusted to the context of final-year clerkships. One version was created for students’ self-assessment of their ability to carry out tasks and their history of carrying out tasks, and another version was created for supervisors’ assessment of students’ ability to carry out tasks. The tool was administered to final-year clerkship students and their clinical supervisors to explore its utility as an assessment approach. The results were analysed using descriptive and interferential statistics.ResultsWe enrolled a total of 60 final-year medical students. For 33 students, ratings were provided from one supervisor and for 27 students from two supervisors. With regard to the reliability and validity of the tool, students’ and supervisors’ ratings showed an overall good internal consistency as well as variability between and within the EPAs. Over the full EPA range, students rated their ability to perform a task slightly higher than their task performance history and slightly lower than the supervisors’ ratings. Students’ self-ratings of their ability to perform a task correlated with their history in performing the task. Supervisors’ ratings correlated among supervisors and not with students’ ratings. Concerning educational outcomes, supervisors’ average rating of students’ ability to perform the EPAs without direct supervision was 64%, and key findings being double-checked.ConclusionsThis study introduces a tool that is adjusted to the final-year clerkship context and can assess the workplace performance of trainees based on a full set of end-of-training EPAs. Its utility characteristics suggest that the tool may be employed as a formative and outcome-aligned approach to the assessment of final-year students before entering into residency.
Highlights
While literature on the theoretical value of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for assessment is rapidly expanding, little experience exists on its application
While several reports outline in detail the breadth and depth of end-of-undergraduate medical training EPAs [2,3,4,5,6], little experience exists so far in regard to the assessment of EPAs in undergraduate medical education
The aims of this article are to report on the development of an assessment tool based on a full set of end-of-undergraduate medical training EPAs and to explore its utility for assessment in a cohort of medical students in their final-year clerkship and their supervisors
Summary
While literature on the theoretical value of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for assessment is rapidly expanding, little experience exists on its application. While several reports outline in detail the breadth and depth of end-of-undergraduate medical training EPAs [2,3,4,5,6], little experience exists so far in regard to the assessment of EPAs in undergraduate medical education This concerns both formative assessment to provide feedback for learners and to steer their learning as well as summative, high-stakes entrustment decisions about the learner [7]. The purpose of the present study is to develop and explore the characteristics of a tool for capturing the workplace performance of final-year clerkship students in relation to a full set of end-of-undergraduate-medical-training EPAs. The EPA concept, introduced by ten Cate in 2005, re-conceptualises performance in the workplace in a unifying manner across the continuum of medical training [1, 8]. The EPA concept aims at providing a learning trajectory towards the independent practice of physicians, i.e., developing trainees’ proficiency to carry out all tasks characteristic of the discipline in an unsupervised form [1]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
