Sethi Ahsan, Haq Muhammad Ainul, Zaidi Syed Jaffar Abbas, Baig Qaiser Ali
QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Centre of Medical Education, SMED, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Dec 20;24(1):1505. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-06525-5.
In many dental schools worldwide, theoretical knowledge is prioritized over comprehensive training in essential clinical procedures. This leads to graduates with insufficient hands-on experience who are not fully "ready to practice", thereby failing to meet the demands of the job market and community needs. This study aimed to address this critical gap by developing and validating a set of core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) specifically for operative dentistry clerkships to enhance the practical competencies and readiness of dental graduates for effective and independent practice.
A multi-method research approach was employed using a five-stage process to develop EPAs for an operative dentistry clerkship program. First, a literature review was conducted to select the EPA topics. Second, the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used with nine faculty members to build consensus and create a list of EPAs based on the literature review and faculty input. Third, feedback on the drafted EPAs was solicited using the Delphi method, which involved 24 faculty members to refine and validate the EPAs. Fourth, rigorous validation was performed using Queen's EQual Rubric with further refinement by a panel of five medical educationists. Finally, the EPAs were finalised for incorporation into the operative dentistry curriculum.
Ten EPAs ranging from entrustment levels 1 to 4 were identified and validated through consensus among dental education experts. These EPAs encompass a range of competencies, including medical expertise, communication, professionalism, and patient care. Each EPA was scrutinised for its relevance, clarity, and applicability within the dental curriculum. The validation process, encompassing the Nominal Group Technique (NGT), Delphi, and EQual Rubric, ensured that the EPAs were aligned with the competencies required for dental graduates.
This study successfully developed and validated ten EPAs for use in operative dentistry. These EPAs focus on key clinical competencies, ranging from patient history taking to complex surgical procedures, representing a significant advancement in enhancing dental graduates' practical skills and readiness for independent practice. This study highlights the need for a continuous curriculum assessment and adaptation to meet the evolving demands of dental education and practice.
在全球许多牙科学院中，理论知识的优先级高于基本临床操作的综合培训。这导致毕业生缺乏足够的实践经验，无法完全“准备好执业”，从而无法满足就业市场的需求和社区的需要。本研究旨在通过开发和验证一套专门针对口腔手术实习的核心可托付专业活动（EPA）来解决这一关键差距，以提高牙科毕业生的实践能力，使其为有效和独立的执业做好准备。
采用多方法研究方法，通过五个阶段的过程为口腔手术实习项目制定EPA。首先，进行文献综述以选择EPA主题。其次，使用名义小组技术（NGT）与九名教员达成共识，并根据文献综述和教员的意见创建一份EPA清单。第三，使用德尔菲法征求对起草的EPA的反馈意见，该方法涉及24名教员，以完善和验证EPA。第四，使用女王大学的EQual评分标准进行严格验证，并由五名医学教育专家组成的小组进一步完善。最后，确定EPA并将其纳入口腔手术课程。
通过牙科教育专家的共识，确定并验证了10个从委托水平1到4的EPA。这些EPA涵盖了一系列能力，包括医学专业知识、沟通、专业素养和患者护理。每个EPA都经过审查，以确保其在牙科课程中的相关性、清晰度和适用性。包括名义小组技术（NGT）、德尔菲法和EQual评分标准在内的验证过程确保了EPA与牙科毕业生所需的能力相一致。
本研究成功开发并验证了10个用于口腔手术的EPA。这些EPA侧重于关键的临床能力，从患者病史采集到复杂的外科手术，代表了在提高牙科毕业生实践技能和独立执业准备方面的重大进展。本研究强调了持续进行课程评估和调整以满足牙科教育和实践不断变化的需求的必要性。
