Design and implementation of a core EPA-based acting internship curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• The Association of American Medical Colleges established Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs) as essential clinical skills for new interns.
• Assessing student mastery of Core EPAs is crucial for ensuring readiness for independent practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a required acting internship (AI) in the fourth-year medical curriculum as a summative assessment tool for Core EPAs.
• To determine if this assessment method could generalize across different medical disciplines and campuses.

Main Methods:

• A standardized, Core EPA-based AI curriculum was developed and implemented at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
• The curriculum covered multiple specialties across various geographic locations, providing a final entrustability assessment for 10 Core EPAs.

Main Results:

• The AI curriculum was successfully launched for all students in a single cohort.
• Students performed at a satisfactory exit-level competence for all 10 Core EPAs during their AI.
• Students rated the AI course experience as superior.

Conclusions:

• A standardized AI curriculum can serve as an effective platform for assessing Core EPAs at the exit level.
• This model demonstrates successful implementation across diverse specialties and community-based teaching sites with volunteer faculty.