Evaluating the Quality of the Core Entrustable Professional Activities for New Pharmacy Graduates

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Competency-Based Education
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy developed Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs) for new pharmacy graduates.
• Evaluating the quality of these Core EPAs is essential for effective pharmacy education and practice readiness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the quality of the Core EPAs using the Queen's EPA Quality (EQual) rubric.
• To identify specific Core EPAs requiring revision and provide recommendations for improvement.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of pharmacists with expertise in EPAs utilized the EQual rubric to rate the quality of each Core EPA.
• A generalizability study was conducted to determine the reliability of the EQual ratings.
• Respondents provided qualitative feedback and revision recommendations.

Main Results:

• Most Core EPAs (9/15) did not meet the quality cut-off score, indicating areas for improvement.
• EPAs related to patient care (EPAs 1-5) and fulfilling medication orders (EPA 14) were rated highly.
• EPA 12 (using evidence-based information) scored lowest, and EPA 15 (professional development planning) failed to meet cut-offs across all domains.

Conclusions:

• Objective quality assessment tools like the EQual rubric are vital for evaluating and refining educational standards.
• Revisions are needed for several Core EPAs to better align with current pharmacist roles and responsibilities.
• Reliable quality assessment can guide the development of pharmacy curricula and ensure graduates meet healthcare team expectations.