University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository
Specialty
Education
Abstract
Competency-based medical education (CBME) offers clearer, outcome-focused clinician training, yet its integration into fixed-length physician assistant/associate (PA) programs is poorly described. A descriptive single-program evaluation examined a 27-month PA curriculum that integrated CBME elements. Components included Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), milestones, Milestones and Progress (MAP) tables, multi-source assessments, and three-stage Point of Entrustment (POE) checkpoints, alongside time-based pacing and national knowledge benchmarks. Implementation incorporated EPA-to-competency mapping, faculty and rater development, and routine formative feedback. An in-house student success coach supported early intervention, while structured remediation pathways addressed learner deficits. Programmatic assessment combined program-created and nationally benchmarked multiple-choice items, integrated assignments, Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX), preceptor entrustment ratings, and formative and summative Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). MAP tables aggregated multi-source evidence to inform progression decisions. Across six cohorts (2020-2025), completion rates remained high, and certifying-exam performance was maintained or improved. POE assessments showed progressive increases in learner entrustment, and targeted remediation enabled learners who initially fell below benchmarks to meet expectations on reassessment. As a descriptive, single-program evaluation, these findings indicate that embedding CBME components within a fixed-length PA curriculum is feasible and supports systematic tracking of learner progression; causal comparisons with traditional models are beyond the scope of this article.
Recommended Citation
Ruff CC. Implementing Competency-Based Medical Education in a Time-Constrained Physician Assistant/Associate Program. University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository. 2026; 8(1).
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