EPAs with Descriptive Rubrics — A Step Beyond Dreyfus
Dy Director, Centre for Digital Resources, Education and Medical Informatics, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University)
Ananthakrishnan et al. (2023): advancing the CoBALT model with descriptive rubrics for EPA assessment objectivity.
The Study
Ananthakrishnan et al. (2023) described the evolution of the CoBALT model at Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, introducing descriptive rubrics for EPA assessment to improve objectivity in entrustment decisions. Published in the National Medical Journal of India (NMJI).
Key Findings
- Descriptive rubrics provide anchored assessment criteria that go beyond the generic Dreyfus levels
- Improved inter-rater reliability among assessors evaluating the same resident
- Rubrics are specialty-specific — different EPAs require different descriptors
- The approach makes EPA assessment more teachable — new faculty can calibrate faster
Why This Matters
One of the common criticisms of EPA-based assessment is subjectivity. This study demonstrates a practical solution: descriptive rubrics that anchor entrustment decisions in observable behaviours rather than abstract developmental levels. For institutions adopting EPAs, this approach reduces assessment variability.
References
Ananthakrishnan, N., et al. (2023). Competency-based postgraduate training, mentoring and monitoring using entrustable professional activities with descriptive rubrics for objectivity — A step beyond Dreyfus. National Medical Journal of India, 36(3). https://nmji.in/competency-based-postgraduate-training-mentoring-and-monitoring-using-entrustable-professional-activities-with-descriptive-rubrics-for-objectivity-a-step-beyond-dreyfus/
Dy Director, Centre for Digital Resources, Education and Medical Informatics, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University)
Published 30 March 2026