Entrustable Professional Activities and Competencies for Experiential Learning: A Delphi Study

There is a need for competency-based assessment of pharmacy students during experiential learning (EL). Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) originated in Medical Education and have been adopted by other health professions globally. This research sought consensus on entrustment levels, EPAs and competencies for use in assessing student pharmacists during EL.

Six EPAs with competencies were developed based on previous research: NHS England entrustment levels were adopted. A Delphi questionnaire was distributed to EL facilitators (n = 1685), final year student pharmacists at the University of Strathclyde and Robert Gordon University (n = 240), and academic and National Health Education Scotland (NES) pharmacists involved in initial education and training of pharmacists (n = 58). Participants could agree or disagree with the appropriateness of entrustment levels and competencies using yes/no responses. "No" responders could suggest alternative wording/comment/explain their answer. There was also space for general comments. Consensus was set at 75%. For primary analysis response percentages were calculated with respondent subgroups as secondary analysis. Comments were analyzed for themes.

Response rate was 15.8% (313/1983) and consensus was achieved on all EPA competencies and Entrustment Levels on the first round. Secondary analysis showed one entrustment level and two EPA competencies in the Academic/NES subgroup, and one other EPA competency where both Hospital Facilitator and Academic/NES subgroups did not reach consensus. Themes identified were student knowledge, placement duration, guidance required, supervision/checking of work, missing EPAs/competencies and overlap of EPAs.

Consensus was reached on entrustment levels and EPA competencies for use in student pharmacist EL.