How Have Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) Been Implemented in Pharmacy Education? A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Competency-Based Education
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) define practice units for learners demonstrating competence.
• Pharmacy education increasingly adopts EPAs to structure learning and assessment.
• Understanding EPA implementation in pharmacy is crucial for effective integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review on the implementation of EPAs in pharmacy education.
• To synthesize findings on how EPAs are adopted, assessed, and perceived in pharmacy programs.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of literature from 2016-2025 using MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar.
• Inclusion of studies describing EPA implementation, perspectives, or performance evaluation.
• Exclusion of studies not assessing actual EPA implementation experiences.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four studies were included, predominantly implementing EPAs in practice experiences.
• Direct practice observation was the most common method for assessing student performance on EPAs.
• Student performance on EPAs improved following educational interventions.
• Stakeholders (students, preceptors, faculty) found EPAs facilitated competency assessment, despite workload challenges.

Conclusions:

• EPAs are primarily implemented in pharmacy practice experiences, with direct observation as a key assessment tool.
• While EPAs enhance competency assessment, implementation challenges such as workload must be addressed.
• Findings offer guidance for educators and professionals planning EPA integration in pharmacy programs.