Entrustable Professional Activities: The 101 for Pharmacy Preceptors

In this episode, we dive into the evolving use of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as a tool for assessing and supporting learner development in pharmacy experiential education. Dr. Abigail Elmes, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy, shares her insights on implementing EPA-based assessments in Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). Whether you're new to EPAs or navigating their integration into your practice site, this episode offers practical strategies to promote student growth, improve feedback conversations, and overcome common barriers in EPA-based assessment.  HostKathy Schott, PhDVice President, Education & OperationsCEimpactGuestAbigail Elmes, PharmD, MHPE, BCPS Research Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Illinois Chicago College of PharmacyGet CE: CLICK HERE TO CPE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE!CPE Information Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this course, preceptors will be able to:1. Explain the purpose and structure of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in pharmacy education 2. Identify strategies to provide effective learner feedback using entrustment-supervision scales0.05 CEU/0.5 HrUAN: 0107-0000-25-147-H99-PInitial release date: 3/26/2025Expiration date: 3/26/2028Additional CPE details can be found here.The speakers have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.This program has been:Approved by the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy as education for Minnesota pharmacy preceptors.Reviewed by the Texas Consortium on Experiential Programs and has been designated as preceptor education and training for Texas preceptors.Want more education on this or other topics?Check out this article authored by our guest, Dr. Abigail Elmes, and colleagues – Preceptor Perspectives Using Entrustable Professional Activity-Based Assessments During Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences.And here are links to a few great resources:ten Cate O. Nuts and bolts of entrustable professional activities. J Grad Med Educ. 2013;5(1):157-158. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-12-00380.1ten Cate O, Jarrett JB. Would I trust or will I trust? The gap between entrustment determinations and entrustment decisions for trainees in pharmacy and other health professions. Pharmacy. 2023;11(3):107. doi:10.3390/pharmacy11030107ten Cate O, Schwartz A, Chen HC. Assessing trainees and making entrustment decisions: on the nature and use of entrustment-supervision scales. Academic Medicine. 2020;Publish Ahead of Print. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003427Persky AM, Fuller KA, Cate O ten. True entrustment decisions regarding entrustable professional activities happen in the workplace, not in the classroom setting. Am J Pharm Educ. 2021;85(5):8536. doi:10.5688/ajpe8536Check out the full library of Preceptor By DesignTM courses available for preceptors on the CEimpact website. Ask your experiential program director or residency program director if you are a member so that you can access it all for free!Follow CEimpact on Social Media:LinkedInInstagram