Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Entrustable Professional Activities

Abstract

Background: Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are critical activities performed by medical professionals, which can be observed and assessed. Adding on to common EPAs for all pediatric subspecialty trainees, specialty-specific EPAs for pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutritional fellowship were developed by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) EPA Task Force. Methods: Having developed specialty-specific EPAs, building EPA assessments is the next logical step, as EPAs are included under a larger umbrella of competency-based assessment. Thus, the NASPGHAN EPA Task Force and Training Committee collaborated on an assessment tool and associated curricular resources to aid in tracking trainees’ progression to entrustment within individual EPAs and readiness for independent practice. Results: This manuscript reports the development of an EPA assessment tool, including guiding principles and the theory behind the assessment tool, with a focus on simple, meaningful assessments that can provide crucial performance feedback to trainees. In addition, curricular resources were developed, based on the assessment tool, to support training. Ultimately, it is the hope of the NASPGHAN EPA Task Force and Training Committee that this tool can aid training programs in providing formative feedback for trainees, and can be used by training programs and clinical competency committees for summative evaluation.

Training in pediatric neurogastroenterology and motility across Europe: a survey of the ESPGHAN National Societies Network 2016-2019

“…NASPGHAN has published guidelines for training in PGHN, suggesting a transition to an outcomes-based system (core competencies) [ 6 ] focusing on milestones and entrustable professional activities (EPAs) [ 17 ]. The NASPGHAN EPA Task force developed 5 EPAs focused on PGHN [ 18 , 19 ], along with an additional one for PNGM disorders, while the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS) endorsed guidelines regarding training in adult PNGM, based on a 3-tiered approach [ 7 ]. Both NASPGHAN and ANMS have established training frameworks on motility disorders, offering understandable and usable knowledge to pediatric and adult motility consultants.…”

Punching above your weight class: How a small pediatric pulmonology fellowship program implemented Kern's model and developed an entrustable professional activities‐based program

“…In general, core EPAs describe the essential activities needed for practice, and supplemental EPAs further expand upon the core EPAs to enhance the framework for competency based medical education. 8 EPAs can and have been used for both learner assessment and curriculum development within various subspecialties, [9][10][11] but educators may remain uncomfortable with the implementation of an EPA-based curriculum due to its novelty. To our knowledge, there are no reports of a pediatric subspecialty fellowship program using EPAs to overhaul an entire fellowship curriculum.…”

Development of Entrustable Professional Activities and Standards in Training in Pediatric Neurogastroenterology and Motility

“…EPAs are critical activities performed by medical professionals that can be observed and assessed. Common EPAs for all pediatric subspecialties were developed by the American Board of Pediatrics, and 5 EPAs specific to pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition were developed by the NASPGHAN EPA Task Force (4,5). An additional EPA in NGM was developed concomitantly with these guidelines (Table 1), reviewed by senior members of the NASP-GHAN EPA task force, and is appended.…”