Entrustable professional activities in postgraduate general surgery training: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME)

Background:

• Competency-based medical education (CBME) is increasingly adopted in postgraduate physician training.
• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) link learner competencies to professional tasks.
• There is a need for guidance on implementing CBME using EPAs in general surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the current use of EPAs in general surgery postgraduate training.
• To identify how EPAs are utilized in curriculum design, teaching, and assessment.
• To pinpoint gaps in the literature regarding EPA implementation in general surgery.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, enhanced with PRISMA-ScR.
• Searched multiple databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, etc.) for literature from 2005-2022.
• Included peer-reviewed and grey literature on EPA use in general surgery training.

Main Results:

• The review synthesizes current practices of EPA implementation in general surgery.
• Identifies specific applications of EPAs in curriculum development and assessment.
• Highlights areas where further research is needed for effective EPA integration.

Conclusions:

• EPAs offer a framework for CBME in general surgery.
• Further research is required to optimize EPA use for training and assessment.
• Guidance for surgeon-educators on EPA implementation is crucial.