Creating and confirming observable professional activities (OPAs): A brief report on the practical approach for OPA design for resident education

The study addresses the need for effective evaluation tools in competency-based medical education, focusing on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) and Observable Practice Activities (OPAs). EPAs translate competencies into evaluable units, while OPAs are discrete tasks that contribute to assessing an EPA. The authors created 10 OPAs for the Spinal Cord Injury EPA and achieved consensus among experts in the field through a modified Delphi method. This involved multiple rounds of evaluation and refinement to ensure the OPAs were relevant and practical for assessing resident competency. The goal is to provide residents with targeted feedback on their progress toward independent practice in caring for patients with spinal cord injuries. Future research should assess the feasibility and utility of implementing these OPAs in real-world clinical settings.

• 1
  The study successfully developed 10 OPAs for evaluating resident competency in caring for patients with spinal cord injury. These OPAs address a gap in non-procedural PM&R rotations, where evaluation tools are lacking.
• 2
  Expert consensus was achieved through a modified Delphi method, with significant differences observed between the first and second rounds of evaluation. This indicates that the OPAs were refined and improved based on expert feedback.
• 3
  The final list of OPAs provides a structured framework for assessing various aspects of spinal cord injury management, including history and physical exam, ISNCSCI examination, and management of neurogenic bladder and bowel.