INTERRELATIONS OF STUDENTS' COMPETENCES AND ENTRUSTABLE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

Introduction: Over the last ten years, conceptual transition to a competence-based educational model has happened in the field of medical training. This is a generally recognized practice in many countries. However, there is less understanding how to apply this obtained competence in the clinical practice. There is often a trend to reduce the competence required for performing complex tasks in simple and perhaps unimportant activities. So, the new experts, encounter problems how to integrate the skills acquired during studies in clinical practice [6].

Theoretical review: The idea of entrustable professional activities (EPA) refutes the assessment approach of a competence-based medical education. This concept is based on bonding of situation's assessment with making a decision about how clinical responsibility should be entrusted to the students. Development of an EPA model is related with the promotion of development of trust application of proper decision in all levels of supervision, and increase of student's participation in the application process of assessment and all available information sources and technologies, to have a reason to regard at the end about the readiness of a student for larger autonomy [8].

Transition from a study process in the medicine to practical professional activity is a complicated period for the graduates, because there is no system that would facilitate vertical integration of competences. Methods need to be introduced that concurrently with the general instructions in process descriptions would give a more detailed information for more efficient and consistent activity [10].

Objectives: Describe students' and clinical placement supervisors' understanding of the concept of entrustable professional activities (EPA); analyse EPA development tendencies in the education process of future health care specialists.

Qualitative research design, case study:

1 Research and analysis of regulatory enactments and documents of the health care institution.

2 Analysis of clinical placement diaries in Nursing programme and Physician Assistant programme.

3 Interviews with supervisors at clinical placements.

Conclusions:

1 Understanding of EPA and its reflection in clinical placement documentation is partial.

2 EPA framework should be developed on all study levels of medical education to assess students' professional skills and adequate actions when evaluating students' competences.