Hanif Maidah, Khan Yawar Hayat, Ali Kamran
Foundation University College of Dentistry and Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Riphah International University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Int J Dent. 2024 Sep 14;2024:5516332. doi: 10.1155/2024/5516332. eCollection 2024.
The aim of this study was to develop a competency framework based on entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in oral cancer management by postgraduate trainees in oral and maxillofacial surgery through expert consensus.
The study design was based on a modified Delphi technique and involved iterative online surveys with two rounds of data collection and analysis. Initial development of the questionnaire identified five EPAs based on 42 competencies along with supervision level and assessment strategies. The first Delphi round involved administration of the survey questionnaire online to maxillofacial surgeons meeting the inclusion criteria for experts. Consensus was achieved on five EPAs and 36 competencies (≥80% response rate). Six competencies were rephrased and sent again in the Round 2 questionnaire to achieve a consensus.
A total of 45 experts participated in Round 1 followed by input from 27 experts in Round 2 of the Delphi panel. Following two iterative rounds of online surveys and feedback, expert consensus was achieved to develop an EPA framework in five EPA domains focused on the management of oral cancer by postgraduate trainees in maxillofacial surgery including 38 specific competencies, supervision level, and assessment strategies. High content validity of the study was established through a comprehensive literature search, and expert feedback was evidenced by an excellent response rate (93.34%, and 64.28%) and a stringent criteria of response agreement amongst experts (≥80%).
In conclusion, this study employed expert consensus to identify five EPAs with 38 competencies along with the required supervision level of postgraduate maxillofacial trainees for the management of oral cancer. This EPA framework provides a roadmap for training supervisors to map the learning outcomes in oral oncology for postgraduate trainees in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
本研究旨在通过专家共识，为口腔颌面外科研究生制定基于可托付专业活动（EPA）的口腔癌管理能力框架。
本研究设计基于改良的德尔菲技术，包括两轮数据收集与分析的迭代在线调查。问卷的初步制定基于42项能力确定了5项EPA，并明确了监督水平和评估策略。第一轮德尔菲调查在线向符合专家纳入标准的颌面外科医生发放调查问卷。就5项EPA和36项能力达成了共识（回复率≥80%）。对6项能力进行了重新表述，并在第二轮问卷中再次发送以达成共识。
共有45名专家参与了第一轮调查，随后有27名专家参与了德尔菲小组的第二轮调查。经过两轮迭代的在线调查和反馈，达成了专家共识，制定了一个EPA框架，该框架涵盖五个EPA领域，聚焦于口腔颌面外科研究生对口腔癌的管理，包括38项具体能力、监督水平和评估策略。通过全面的文献检索确定了该研究的高内容效度，高回复率（93.34%和64.28%）以及专家之间严格的回复一致性标准（≥80%）证明了专家反馈的有效性。
总之，本研究通过专家共识确定了5项EPA及38项能力，以及口腔颌面外科研究生管理口腔癌所需的监督水平。这个EPA框架为培训导师提供了一个路线图，以规划口腔颌面外科研究生在口腔肿瘤学方面的学习成果。
