Faculty at NYU Langone’s Department of Radiology led a multi-institutional team of researchers to develop an entrustable professional activity–(EPA) based learning and assessment guide for breast imaging residents and fellows to determine their readiness to practice unsupervised.

EPAs are activities that together form the core of a profession. EPAs, in this case for breast imaging, are essential tasks an attending breast imaging radiologist regularly performs in clinical practice. Our validated list of breast imaging EPAs gives residents and fellows a clear guide of practical tasks they must master before they are entrusted to care for patients without supervision.

Each EPA has a corresponding resource guide for trainees and a supervision checklist for attending radiologists to assess trainee performance.

EPA Worksheets for Residents and Fellows

EPA 1: Identifying and Managing Abnormalities on Mammography, Ultrasound, and MRI

EPA 2: Working Up and Managing Patients in the Diagnostic Imaging Setting

EPA 3: Performing Image-Guided Biopsies and Determining Appropriate Post-Procedural Management

EPA 4: Evaluating and Staging Patients with Newly and Previously Diagnosed Breast Cancer

EPA 5: Performing Presurgical Localization Using Ultrasound or Mammographic Guidance

EPA Assessment Guides for Attending Radiologists

EPA 1 Guide: Identifying and Managing Abnormalities on Mammography, Ultrasound, and MRI

EPA 2 Guide: Working Up and Managing Patients in the Diagnostic Imaging Setting

EPA 3 Guide: Performing Image-Guided Biopsies and Determining Appropriate Post-Procedural Management

EPA 4 Guide: Evaluating and Staging Patients with Newly and Previously Diagnosed Breast Cancer

EPA 5 Guide: Performing Presurgical Localization Using Ultrasound or Mammographic Guidance

EPA Teaching Tips for Attending Radiologists

Teaching Tips EPA 1: Identifying and Managing Abnormalities on Mammography, Ultrasound, and MRI

Teaching Tips EPA 2: Working-up and Managing Patients in the Diagnostic Imaging Setting

Teaching Tips EPA 3: Performing Biopsies Using Imaging Guidance and Determining Appropriate Post-Procedural Management

Teaching Tips EPA 4: Evaluating and Staging Patients with Newly and Previously Diagnosed Breast Cancer

Teaching Tips EPA 5: Performing Presurgical Localization Using Ultrasound or Mammographic Guidance

This Breast Imaging EPA-based resource tool was developed with funding from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Research and Education Foundation through an education scholar grant awarded to lead investigator Monica M. Sheth, MD.

Learn more about EPAs or access the study Development of Breast Imaging Specific Entrustable Professional Activities Using a Double Delphi Technique to view the methodology behind how EPAs for breast imaging radiology were developed.

Our Collaborators

Monica M. Sheth, MD
Lead Investigator
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Petra Lewis, MPH
Project Mentor
Vice Chair of Education, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine

Alice Fornari, EdD
Project Mentor
Assistant Vice President of Faculty Development, Northwell Health
Associate Dean of Educational Skills Development, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine

Priscilla Slanetz, MD, MPH
Project Collaborator
Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Department of Radiology; and Associate Program Director, Radiology Residency, Boston University Medical Center

Katherine Klein, MD
Project Collaborator
Associate Director, Radiology Medical Student Education, University of Michigan Health System

Ryan Woods, MD, MPH
Project Collaborator
Assistant Professor of Radiology and Associate Section Chief of Breast Imaging, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine