6ER-002 Evolving the ‘E’ in entrustable professional activities: mapping entrustment across the pharmacy degree

Background and Importance Standards for initial education and training of pharmacists recognise the role of experiential learning (EL) in practice settings in enhancing preparedness for practice. Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), provide a method of evaluating student evolving competence in practice activities and represent what the practice of a ‘safe beginner’ pharmacist should look like, regardless of area of practice. The retrospective entrustment scale has been adapted from the literature, offering five choices; from, 2a, activity was not completely independently, to 3c, practice supervisor (PS) ready to step in if needed. Students complete progressively more complex EPAs as they increase in confidence and competence with each academic year for example, medication history in year 2, progressing to medicines reconciliation and medication review in year 3 and prescribing in year 4.

Aim and Objectives To explore the evolution of pharmacy student ability to complete authentic pharmacist tasks in secondary care with increasing independence and responsibility, as judged by entrustment decisions by PSs on EPAs.

Material and Methods All entrustment decisions on all EPAs completed by pharmacy undergraduates in the academic year 2024-2025 by PSs in using the country Entrustment Scale were reviewed in May 2025. Where EPAs were completed in two academic years, the results were compared using descriptive statistics.

Results A total of 3,753 entrustment decisions made on 692 pharmacy students from year 2, year 3 and year 4 were reviewed. 17% of year 2 students received an entrustment level of 3c when completing a medication history, compared to 21% of year 3 students. 13% of year 3 students received an entrustment level of 3c when completing medication review compared to 23% of year 4. 19% of year 2 received an entrustment level of 3c when evaluating and managing clinical improvement or worsening compared to 31% of year 4. 60% of Year 4 students received 3b for their prescribing skills, a further 26% received 3c.

Conclusion and Relevance As pharmacy students’ progress through the MPharm, acquiring knowledge, skills and engaging in more EL, EPA performance demonstrates their ability to complete authentic pharmacist tasks in secondary care with increasing trust, independence and responsibility, as judged by the country entrustment scale.