Entrustable Professional Activities EPAs

The Swiss Society of Cardiology SSC is a pioneer in the use of Entrustable Professional Activities EPAs to structure training in cardiology. It follows the lead of the European Society of Cardiology ESC. Accordingly, the Swiss training program in cardiology is based on the EPA-based ESC Core Curriculum.

Here you can find important information on the use of EPAs.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

 

How many assessments per EPA are required per year?

Assessents should be done frequently, there is no upper or lower limit. Think of it like a picture - the more pixles the sharper and clearer the image. An assessment is like a pixle and each contributes to the overall reliability of the entrustment extended towards the trainee. For more information read here.

 

How many assessments are necessary to confirm the level of competency required for board approval at the end of the training?

The SGK/SSC requires at least four assessments by four different supervisors per EPA at the required level of competency. Additionally, this needs to be summarily confirmed up to the end of training by a certified training center. If a trainee reaches the required level of competency for a certain EPA already e.g. in year 2 of cardiology training, the responsible training center can summarily confirm this.

 

I need to fill out the FMH Zeugnis / certificat ISFM but did not have access to the App yet. How am I to proceed?

Please use the FMH Zeugnis / certificat ISFM provided within the logbook and summarily assess your trainee at the end of the training period.

 

The trainee is changing to another training center. How are we to document levels of competency for the FMH Zeugnis / cerfificat ISFM?

The App allows the creation of a pdf summarizing the assessments. Please print it, have it signed and attach it to the FMH Zeugnis / certificate ISFM.

 

Will the preparedEPA be supported by the SIWF/ISFM?

The SIWF/ISFM supports the use of an App for assessments of EPAs. Currently several Apps are being evaluated, among these also the preparedEPA. A decision has not been taken and we do not know when this decision will be made.

 

Will the data documented with prEPAred be lost should the ISM/SIWF choose another app?

No. preparedEPA will make sure that all assessment datapoints can be downloaded/transferred to the new system.

 

Will data documented with prEPAred be lost if the user changes training institution?

No. All user can keep their personal account with all their datapoints if they change institution. They only need to adjust the name of the affiliated institution in „settings“.

 

Can I do assessments of cardiology EPAs also for trainees on rotation from other medical specialities?

Yes. Assessments of EPAs are recognized as work place based assessments based on Art. 41g of the Weiterbildungsordnung WBO / Réglement pour la formation postgraduée RFP that applies to all medical specialities.

 

I don't have a smart phone or preparedEPA cannot be used on my aged smart phone - is there an alternative?

Yes - on https://epa.prepared.app there is a Web-version with the same functionalities as in the App.

 

Where is the personal assessment data documented with preparedEPA stored?

preparedEPA uses highest safety standards (GDPR) to protect personal data. The data is stored cloud-based on Swiss servers run by Microsoft Azure. The transmission of datapoints between the app and the server is encrypted.

 

Until when can board certification be acquired according to the "old" training programm?

According to paragraph 6 of the training programm, any trainees who has completed all requirements (excluding the specialist exam) in accordance with the "old" provisions by 30. June 2027, may request the award of the title in accordance with the provisions of the "old" programm (here).