Entrustable professional activities in surgical education

Overview: Surgical education and training has evolved considerably within the last 10 years. During this time, surgical colleges and many surgeons involved with post-graduate surgical education have recognized the need for direct observation, constructive feedback and linked summative assessments for residents and surgical trainees. There are many tasks that surgeons perform as part of their professional role. It cannot be simply about operative surgery. As trainees progress towards becoming surgeons, entrustable professional activities (EPAs) provide suitable constructs for trainees and their surgical teachers and supervisors. As the trainee employs their competencies within these clinical tasks, their progress can be observed, assessed and discussed. Suitable levels of supervision can be matched to the level of performance, so that patient care remains safe and quality outcomes are obtained. Feedback and assessment are supported by EPAs in the workplace.