Can Teachers Distinguish Competencies From Entrustable Professional Activities?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Assessment Paradigms

Background:

• The shift from competencies to entrustable professional activities (EPAs) is transforming medical education assessment.
• Few studies have explored the practical implications of this transition.
• This study investigates how front-line clinical educators perceive the distinction between competencies and EPAs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the understanding of competencies versus entrustable professional activities (EPAs) among clinical educators.
• To determine if educators can differentiate between these two assessment concepts in practice.

Main Methods:

• A 20-item survey was developed using publicly available lists of competencies and EPAs.
• Participants identified items as either a competency or an EPA after reading descriptions.
• The survey was administered to clinical educators at the University of Toronto in 2018.

Main Results:

• Sixty surveys were analyzed, with a mean correct response rate of 45.3%.
• No correlation was found between educators' years in practice, supervision hours, or involvement in medical education and their ability to distinguish concepts.
• Results indicate a significant lack of clarity in differentiating competencies and EPAs.

Conclusions:

• Clinical educators demonstrated an inability to differentiate between competencies and entrustable professional activities (EPAs).
• Further research is recommended before significant curricular reforms based on EPAs are implemented.
• The findings highlight potential challenges in the practical application of EPAs in medical training.