Making EPAs a 59 minute objective measure for surgical trainees - A pilot study

American Journal of Surgery
Yazan AlJamal, David Farley

Abstract

Accurately confirming surgical trainees have met the requirements of entrusted professional activities (EPAs) will require rigorous staff input. We pondered whether such simulation-driven evaluations might prove useful to the current ABS/APDS pilot effort on EPA analysis. Our surgical trainees participate biannually in a 59-min simulation-based assessment (X-Games) which covers surgical technique, knowledge and critical thinking in a host of domains. The content and difficulty of the stations differed between the PGY levels. Only 4 EPA topics (inguinal hernia repair, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, and trauma resuscitation) were tabulated for this study. 16-PGY-2s, 8-PGY-3s, 10-PGY-4s, and 10-PGY-5s surgical residents completed the X-Games. Performance within and between PGY levels was variable. The mean(SD) EPA scores for all PGY levels are listed in Table- 1. Analysis gleaned from a 59-min OSCE in a simulated-setting offers objective data that appears to have construct-validity. Refining our Surgical X-Games to cater to the specific EPA scoring system may better allow objective analysis of when trainees cross the threshold from "can do with some help" to "can do autonomously".

Citations

May 11, 2020·American Journal of Surgery·Brenessa Lindeman, Rebecca M Minter
May 31, 2021·Journal of Surgical Education·Sarah LundMariela Rivera

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