Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40189486›Full record

ArticleThe clinical teacher2025

Student Perceptions of Narrative Feedback in Entrustable Professional Activities.

Rebecca Lee, Neil Dhami, William Gibson, Deena M Hamza, Anna E Oswald, Mandy Moffat

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The clinical teacher, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. A Qualitative Systematic Review of the Role of Entrustment in Pre-Registration Healthcare Practice-Based Learning: Implications for Dietetics Education.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rebecca LeeDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0245-8039
Neil DhamiDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4983-8807
William GibsonDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3481-6484
Deena M HamzaDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8943-2165
Anna E OswaldDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3510-4294
Mandy MoffatCentre for Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3856-4237

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionEntrustable professional activity (EPA) observations can be used to develop a holistic picture of trainee competency in professional tasks. Narrative feedback is an essential component of EPAs, but there is a lack of published literature capturing undergraduate student perceptions.

methodsStudents who completed Year 3 of the MD programme in 2022-2023 at one institution in Canada were invited to participate in a survey designed to elicit their perceptions of narrative feedback in EPAs. Survey methods included closed-ended questions (analysed descriptively) and open-ended questions (analysed through thematic analysis).

resultsThe response rate to the survey was 23%. Over 60% of students reported that narrative comments in EPAs were specific and aligned with EPA scores, and 86% reported that the narrative feedback was individualised at least some of the time. However, 57% reported that they never or rarely received actionable feedback for growth. Students demonstrated mixed feelings as to whether EPAs help support their clinical development. Some noted that they can help students identify gaps and reinforce positives. Others reported preferring verbal feedback to written feedback and that EPAs resulted in an administrative burden. Over 90% of students reported barriers to obtaining EPAs, and almost 90% expressed the need for changes to EPAs. A predominant theme from students was the desire for a reduction in EPA requirements.

conclusionsStudents perceived the narrative feedback to be individualized and specific but reported that the feedback rarely contained feedback for growth. Students identified several barriers to EPA completion and provided recommended changes.

Indexed as

Clinical CompetenceCompetency-Based EducationFeedbackFormative FeedbackNarrationStudents, MedicalCanadaEducation, Medical, UndergraduateFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and Questionnairesentrustable professional feedbackEPAsnarrative feedbackundergraduate medical education

Identifiers

PMID40189486
PMCPMC11973025

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.