Development of an app-based e-portfolio in postgraduate medical education using Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) framework: Challenges in a resource-limited setting

Abstract

Introduction: E-portfolio may facilitate the entrustment process from supervisors to residents in postgraduate medical education. The present study was aimed at identifying necessary features of an e-portfolio application and to conduct pilot study in a teaching hospital. Methods: Six programs participated. Eight interviews with education directors and six focus group discussions with residents and supervisors were completed for the needs analysis stage. The application was developed based on the thematic analysis of the needs analysis stage. The mobile-app e-portfolio pilot was conducted for four weeks and a modified version of the System Usability Scale (SUS) was distributed to participants following the pilot program. Results: Key features of the e-portfolio were identified. A total of 45 supervisors and 66 residents participated in the pilot study. The residents utilised the application according to the clinical activities and supervision level, and the information was fed to the supervisors as per the application design. Challenges during the pilot study in terms of feedback provision and residents’ workload which influence the e-portfolio use for entrustment decisions are discussed. Conclusion: Current e-portfolio features were created for supervision and are potential to facilitate the entrustment process in Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) implementation. The pilot study highlighted challenges of the implementation which should be considered for future improvement.

Keywords

• postgraduate medical education
• e-portfolio
• entrustable professional activities
• supervision
• needs analysis
• pilot study