Bridging competence and practice: The role of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in optometric education

Competency-based education (CBE) has gained prominence in health profession education, emphasising the assessment of learners based on their ability to perform essential tasks in clinical practice. Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) operationalise competency assessment by translating broad competencies into specific tasks that learners must be trusted to perform independently before transitioning into professional practice. While EPAs are widely integrated into medical education, their application in optometry remains limited.

This narrative explores the role of EPAs in optometric education, examining their potential to enhance competency assessment and support the transition from training to independent practice.

A narrative review was conducted, focusing on EPAs in health profession education, with a particular emphasis on their application in optometry. Peer-reviewed journal articles, institutional reports and policy documents were analysed to identify trends, challenges and best practices.

The review highlights a growing recognition of EPAs in optometric education, particularly in operationalising core competencies and supporting structured, workplace-based assessments. However, challenges such as limited optometry-specific EPA examples, a need for faculty development and suitable assessment tools hinder broader adoption. Lessons from other health professions suggest that structured EPA frameworks improve learner readiness and enhance patient safety.

EPAs offer a structured approach to competency assessment in optometric education, fostering clinical preparedness. Their integration requires curriculum alignment, faculty development and robust assessment strategies.

This review provides insights into the potential adoption of EPAs in optometric education, contributing to advancing competency-based training and assessment strategies.