Novice Medical Students Improve Knowledge and Comfort in EPA 10 After Early Simulated Clinical Experiences

The authors’ curricular goal was to develop, pilot, and evaluate an educational intervention designed to train incoming medical students on entrustable professional activity (EPA) 10, the recognition, and evaluation of a patient requiring emergent care. The authors hypothesized that this intervention would be feasible and acceptable to learners and would increase self-reported comfort with the functions of EPA 10. This was an observational, cross-sectional study of first-year medical students. Students completed a group introduction to EPAs followed by four low-fidelity simulation stations, including the following: (1) a case-based vital signs module, (2) a standardized patient encounter involving altered mental status after syncope, (3) a simulated trauma patient evaluation, and (4) a team-based learning scenario designed to teach and assess closed-loop communication when caring for a pulseless patient. The primary outcomes were feasibility, learner acceptability, and pre- and post-intervention learner comfort and knowledge. Descriptive statistics were calculated; Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to test for a significant difference in pre- and post-intervention responses. 147/147 responses were collected (100% response rate). This innovative curriculum was feasible to develop and implement. Students reported improvement in comfort in all EPA 10-related functions. Free-text comments revealed that learners enjoyed the simulation experience, felt safe in the training environment, and reported increased awareness of their roles and limitations as providers. In conclusion, novice medical students who completed early simulated clinical cases reported increased comfort with functions directly related to entrustment for EPA 10. This type of workplace simulation training was feasible to implement and well-received by learners.