Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41782004›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2026

Educational activities as a pathway to postgraduate standardization: a qualitative study.

Ali Alrehaily, Abdulmohsen M Alomair, Thuraya Kattan, Nouf Alrumaihi, Frederick Robert Carrick

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Ali AlrehailyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Security Forces Hospital program, General Directorate of Medical Services, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. a.alruhaili.c@scfhs.org.sa.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0661-7530
Abdulmohsen M AlomairMedical Education, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-2585-2404
Thuraya KattanTraining Standards Department, Executive Department of Training Operations, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, P.O. Box 94656, Riyadh, 11614, Saudi Arabia.
Nouf AlrumaihiTraining Standards Department, Executive Department of Training Operations, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, P.O. Box 94656, Riyadh, 11614, Saudi Arabia.
Frederick Robert CarrickTraining Standards Department, Executive Department of Training Operations, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, P.O. Box 94656, Riyadh, 11614, Saudi Arabia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2818-6551

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEducational activities (EAs) in health professional education play a crucial role in healthcare training curricula through a variety of methods, such as lectures, small-group discussions, simulation, case-based learning, and workplace-based experiences, that aim to develop knowledge, specific skills, and professional behaviours for clinical practice. In postgraduate education, EAs are frequently organised around learning competencies and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs)/national standards. However, there are few studies on how these activities systematically translate into structured postgraduate programs.

methodsA qualitative research study using descriptive and comparative document analysis was conducted in consecutive stages to identify gaps in the curricula of the postgraduate training programs of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialities (SCFHS). At first, the data, including 124 randomly sampled curricula, were independently reviewed and coded by two reviewers, after which the results were categorised into themes and subthemes. Then, these themes were further developed into more comprehensive themes and subthemes as a proposed educational framework through a literature review and discussions with a team of experts.

resultsInitially, four key themes emerged regarding the structuring of EAs in the reviewed curricula. The four key themes were: Academic Instruction, Experiential Learning, Self learning and Evaluation, and EAs framework design recommendation. Additionally, these reviews noted significant variations and a lack of congruence in the educational activities implemented by training programs. To address this variability, expert discussions were undertaken to refine and standardise the thematic structure. This resulted in the development of a comprehensive framework comprising five major themes: Academic Activities, Practice-based Learning, Skills Training and Procedures, Scholarly Project, and Professional and Personal Development.

conclusionThe integration of EAs into a cohesive structural framework better prepares trainees for clinical competency, professional behaviour, and practice readiness. The proposed framework provides a robust approach to implementing and evaluating competency-based postgraduate medical education programs.

Indexed as

Clinical CompetenceCompetency-Based EducationCurriculumEducation, Medical, GraduateAcademiaHumansProblem-Based LearningQualitative ResearchSaudi ArabiaCompetency-based educationCurriculum designEducational activitiesFrameworkPostgraduate medical educationQualitative researchSaudi Commission for Health Specialities

Identifiers

PMID41782004
PMCPMC13077902

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.