Identifying entrustable professional activities for postgraduation in psychiatry

Abstract

Background: Competency-based medical education (CBME) has been the mandate by regulatory bodies of medical education in India, and implementation is an evolving process. This study aimed to identify and propose a set of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for a master's degree in psychiatry. An attempt has been made to present it in the form of a portfolio. Methodology: Faculty experts in psychiatry went through phases of review to select appropriate EPAs for postgraduate residents from divergent thinking to development of portfolio. Results: One hundred and sixty-seven EPAs were identified and are presented. These were divided according to expertise required. Of these, 54% were considered vital, 30% essential, and 16% desirable. Conclusion: It is envisaged that the use of EPAs and portfolios will be instrumental in implementation and success of CBME in psychiatry. It is expected that medical universities will incorporate them in their curricula. It is also expected that data will be generated to identify challenges, which shall guide future refinement of the EPAs.