[Postgraduate Training: eLogbook, Entrustable Professional Activities & Co.]

Abstract

The transformation of time-bound and procedure-oriented specialist medical postgraduate training towards a competency-based approach (competency-based medical education, CBME) has been demanded for several years. Many frameworks, like the CANMEDs (Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists) describe competencies that should be acquired by each physician. In Germany, the medical council has recently obligated a competency-based postgraduate training. Although the idea of CBME emphasizes the learning process at the working place, CBME has also been criticized to be too theoretical and detached from the clinical working practice. To close this gap, the concept of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) has been introduced. An EPA describes concrete clinical tasks that are successively entrusted to the trainee. The decision to entrust a task is supported by the sum of workplace-based assessments.Sustainable implementation of competency-based training requires close collaboration among all involved individuals and institutions. Furthermore, continuous feedback and open dialogue are crucial for identifying challenges and areas for improvement. The success of CBME hinges on the collective effort of all stakeholders to create a framework to enhance specialty training and an overall advancement in the field. This cooperative approach is essential to successfully translate the theoretical foundations of competency-based teaching into clinical practice and ensure high-quality specialty training.