ReviewOphthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)2025
Bridging competence and practice: The role of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in optometric education.
Review in Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Cultural Competence Among Optometry Students at a South African University: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Development of an entropy-weighted evaluation system for optometric education quality in vocational colleges of Yunnan Province.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Patient Evaluation of Professional Skills of Optometry Students at an Academic Eye Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa.Advances in medical education and practice · 2026Article
- Bridging competence and practice: The role of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in optometric education.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCompetency-based education (CBE) has gained prominence in health profession education, emphasising the assessment of learners based on their ability to perform essential tasks in clinical practice. Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) operationalise competency assessment by translating broad competencies into specific tasks that learners must be trusted to perform independently before transitioning into professional practice. While EPAs are widely integrated into medical education, their application in optometry remains limited.
aimThis narrative explores the role of EPAs in optometric education, examining their potential to enhance competency assessment and support the transition from training to independent practice.
methodA narrative review was conducted, focusing on EPAs in health profession education, with a particular emphasis on their application in optometry. Peer-reviewed journal articles, institutional reports and policy documents were analysed to identify trends, challenges and best practices.
resultsThe review highlights a growing recognition of EPAs in optometric education, particularly in operationalising core competencies and supporting structured, workplace-based assessments. However, challenges such as limited optometry-specific EPA examples, a need for faculty development and suitable assessment tools hinder broader adoption. Lessons from other health professions suggest that structured EPA frameworks improve learner readiness and enhance patient safety.
conclusionEPAs offer a structured approach to competency assessment in optometric education, fostering clinical preparedness. Their integration requires curriculum alignment, faculty development and robust assessment strategies. CONTRIBUTION: This review provides insights into the potential adoption of EPAs in optometric education, contributing to advancing competency-based training and assessment strategies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.