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Evaluating the Association of a Core EPA–Oriented Patient Handover Curriculum on Medical Students’ Self-reported Frequency of Observation and Skill Acquisition

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Abstract

Introduction

“Giving or receiving a patient handover to transition patient care responsibility” is one of the thirteen Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs) for Entering Residency. However, implementing a patient handover curriculum in undergraduate medical education (UME) remains challenging. Educational leaders in the multi-institutional Core EPA8 pilot workgroup developed a longitudinal patient handover UME curriculum that was implemented at two pilot institutions.

Materials and Methods

We utilized multi-school graduation questionnaire data to assess the association of our patient handover curriculum on self-reported frequency of observation/feedback and skill acquisition by comparing data from the shared curriculum schools to data from other Core EPA pilot schools (three schools with school-specific curriculum; five without a dedicated handover curriculum). Questionnaire data from 1,278 graduating medical students of the class of 2020 from all ten Core EPA pilot schools were analyzed.

Results

Graduates from the two medical schools that implemented the shared patient handover curriculum reported significantly greater frequency of handover observation/feedback compared to graduates at the other schools (school-specific curriculum (p < .05) and those without a handover curriculum (p < .05)). Graduates from the two shared approach schools also more strongly agreed that they possessed the skill to perform handovers compared to graduates from the other eight pilot schools that did not implement this curriculum.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that the implementation of a multi-institutional Core EPA–based curricular model for teaching and assessing patient handovers was successful and could be implemented at other UME institutions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, 1200 East Broad Street, PO Box 980102, Richmond, VA, 23298-0102, USA

    Adam M. Garber

  2. Office of Educational Programs, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, TX, USA

    Allison R. Ownby

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine INOVA Campus, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Gregory Trimble

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, IL, USA

    Meenakshy K. Aiyer

  5. Division of Family and Community Medicine, Department of Humanities, Health, and Society, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    David R. Brown

  6. Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC, USA

    Douglas Grbic

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Correspondence to Adam M. Garber.

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Appendix

Appendix

AAMC GQ wording on patient handover (EPA8) activities:

Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements about your preparedness for beginning a residency program: I have the skills to “Give or receive a patient handover to transition care responsibility.”

AAMC GQ item: “In the workplace (clinical setting), how often during medical school have supervising residents or faculty members directly observed you performing the following activity and also provided you with immediate (within 24 h) verbal or written feedback on your performance of the activity? Include only activities involving real patients. Do NOT include activities involving standardized or simulated patients.” for the activity, “Give or receive a patient handover to transition care responsibility.”

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Garber, A.M., Ownby, A.R., Trimble, G. et al. Evaluating the Association of a Core EPA–Oriented Patient Handover Curriculum on Medical Students’ Self-reported Frequency of Observation and Skill Acquisition. Med.Sci.Educ. 32, 855–864 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-022-01578-x

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