AAPM WGEPA Report 437: An introduction to entrustable professional activities for medical physics residency education

Abstract

Most modern medical physics residency programs consist of a 24-month clinical training curriculum based on standards and recommendations of medical physics organizations such as the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) and American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). Although these recommendations are extensive, their implementation is inconsistent across programs, and the quality of resident evaluation and feedback is highly variable. Competency-based medical education (CBME) is a learner-centered educational approach that focuses on whether the learner is acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to become a competent professional upon graduation. Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are an example of a CBME approach that could improve the preparation of medical physicists by (1) providing a consensus-based framework for assessing the competence and independence of trainees in residency programs based on their demonstrated clinical capability, (2) facilitating feedback to residents based on their independence and competence in performing routine clinical tasks expected of a practicing medical physicist, and (3) providing a metric for programs to assess the success of their training programs and compare to other residency programs. This article describes EPAs and their potential use for assessment in medical physics residency programs.