Objective Assessment of the Entrustable Professional Activity Handover in Undergraduate and Postgraduate Surgical Learners.

Objective: This study used a virtual patient simulation (VPS) to quantifiably and objectively assess undergraduate (UG) to postgraduate (PG) medical learners' acquisition of the entrustable professional activity (EPA) "handover," focusing particularly on the transition to residency. This EPA is critical because it is part of a core competency for UG and PG training in both the United States and Canada, and is essential for patient safety and comprehensive professional communication.

Design: Data were collected from 3 separate groups of participants: 2 UG cohorts from an earlier study, as well as a PG cohort at the beginning of residency.

Development and Validation of a Tool to Evaluate the Evolution of Clinical Reasoning in Trauma Using Virtual Patients.

Context: Undergraduate medical students at a large academic trauma center are required to manage a series of online virtual trauma patients as a mandatory exercise during their surgical rotation.

Purpose: Clinical reasoning during undergraduate medical education can be difficult to assess. The purpose of the study was to determine whether we could use components of the students' virtual patient management to measure changes in their clinical reasoning over the course of the clerkship year.

Sim one, do one, teach one: considerations in designing training curricula for surgical simulation.

Although there is considerable interest in the use of simulation for the acquisition of fundamental surgical skills through goal-directed practice in a safe environment, there is little evidence guiding educators on how best to implement simulation within surgical skills curricula. This article reviews the application of the expert performance model in surgery and the role of simulation in surgical skills acquisition. The focus is on implementation of deliberate practice, highlighting the principles of part-task training, proficiency-based training and overtraining.