Entrustable Professional Activities in Radiology Medical Residency Programs: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiology Training
• Competency-Based Education

Background:

• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are emerging as a framework for competency-based medical education.
• EPAs represent tasks routinely performed in a specialty and can form the basis of medical residency curricula.
• This study focuses on mapping the current use of EPAs within Radiology Medical Residency Programs (MRPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the utilization and characteristics of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in Radiology Medical Residency Programs (MRPs).
• To identify common categories and the range of EPAs described in the literature for radiology training.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Scoping Review Guidelines.
• A systematic search of four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, LILACS) was performed.
• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis was employed.

Main Results:

• Eight studies from North America and Europe were included, describing a total of 112 unique EPAs.
• EPAs were categorized into six domains: clinical care, procedures, disease/patient groups, academic activities, management, and personal competencies.
• Most EPAs represented observable tasks, but detailed descriptions were scarce.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of EPAs in Radiology MRPs is in its early stages.
• Understanding EPA characteristics and development approaches can assist institutions in creating their own EPA frameworks.
• Further research and detailed reporting are needed to advance EPA integration in radiology education.