Ready or not? Program directors' preparedness for the general pediatrics enstrustable professional activity framework

Authors

• Laura Chiel, Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115; PhD Candidate, School of Health Professions Education (SHE), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: Laura.chiel@childrens.harvard.edu.
• Meghan O'Connor, Associate Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, 81 North Mario 73 Capecchi Dr, Suite 1A.011, Salt Lake City, UT 84113. Electronic address: Meghan.OConnor@hsc.utah.edu.
• Joanna Lewis, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
• Andrew Dwyer, Director of Psychometrics, American Board of Pediatrics, 111 Silver Cedar Court, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Electronic address: adwyer@abpeds.org.
• Brenda Nuncio, Program Coordinator, Competency-Based Medical Education, American Board of Pediatrics, 111 Silver Cedar Court, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Electronic address: BNuncio@abpeds.org.
• Cathy Koenig, Psychometric Data Analyst, American Board of Pediatrics, 111 Silver Cedar Court, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Electronic address: ckoenig@abpeds.org.
• Patricia Poitevien, Associate Professor, Division of Hospitalist Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Hasbro Children's Hospital, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903. Electronic address: patricia_poitevien@brown.edu.
• Ariel Winn, Assistant Professor, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115. Electronic address: Ariel.Winn@childrens.harvard.edu.
• David A. Turner, Vice President, Innovation and Competency-Based Education, American Board of Pediatrics, 111 Silver Cedar Court, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Electronic address: dturner@abpeds.org.

Recommended Citation

Chiel L, O'Connor M, Lewis J, et al. Ready or Not? Program Directors' Preparedness for the General Pediatrics Enstrustable Professional Activity Framework. Acad Pediatr. Published online July 14, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.acap.2026.103406

Affiliations

Advocate Children's Hospital, Park Ridge

Abstract

Objective: The General Pediatrics Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) represent the expected outcomes of residency training in a Competency-Based Medical Education system. As part of the recent EPA revision process, we aimed to understand program directors' (PD's) perspectives on the proposed revised EPAs' inclusion in residency programs' curricula and assessment strategies, and future trainee preparedness to perform the EPAs.

Methods: A survey was sent to all United States pediatric and medicine-pediatric PDs in 2024.

Results: Response rate was 40% (125/312). Greater than 90% of respondents agreed that content for 10/13 EPAs is included in their residency program's curriculum. Regarding assessment, ≥ 90% of respondents agreed that they have an approach to assessing readiness for only 2/13 EPAs. However, ≥ 90% of respondents agreed that within 2-3 years, they will be able to assess each resident's ability to perform 8/13 EPAs by graduation. Ninety percent or greater of respondents agreed that within 2-3 years they will be able to prepare residents to perform 11/13 EPAs by graduation.

Conclusions: While there is need for support, PDs currently include most EPAs in their curriculum and are confident they will be able to assess trainees' performance of and prepare graduates for most EPAs.

Type

Article

PubMed ID

42448225