Integrating entrustable professional activities using an integrated curriculum design framework in pharmacy...

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Curriculum Design
• Competency-Based Education

Background:

• Traditional pharmacy education often has gaps in preparing students for independent practice.
• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) and the Integrated Curriculum Design Framework (ICDF) offer a structured approach to competency development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the alignment of a UK university's "Professional Practice Skills" module with EPAs and ICDF.
• To identify and address gaps in competency-based pharmacy education.

Main Methods:

• The "Professional Practice Skills" module was redesigned to incorporate EPAs and ICDF principles.
• Stakeholder input (students, educators, practitioners) informed EPA selection (e.g., patient counselling, prescribing).
• Experiential learning, simulations, and reflective tasks were integrated, shifting assessments to competency-based evaluations.

Main Results:

• Challenges included resistance to change and resource needs for simulations.
• The integration fostered collaborative teaching and increased student engagement.
• Students showed enhanced confidence and practical application of knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Aligning curriculum with EPAs and ICDF is crucial for professional competency development in pharmacy.
• This model provides a replicable strategy for other institutions to improve professional readiness.