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Background While competency-based education has gained prominence in preparing professionals for practice, clinical microbiology residency programs face a challenge in defining specific, observable tasks that align with Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs). The current lack of a standardized set of EPAs tailored to clinical microbiology creates a gap in assessing learner proficiency and educational outcomes. Objectives This study aims to develop and validate a set of specific EPAs for clinical microbiology using a multi-step national expert consensus-building process. Methods This study was conducted in Egypt, involving experts from various medical schools across the country. As the first step, a thorough literature review was undertaken to identify potential EPAs pertinent to clinical microbiology residency programs. Then, evaluation of EPAs for quality and structure using EQual rubric involved five experts in medical education and clinical microbiology, resulting in the confirmation of relevant EPAs. Subsequently, three rounds of the modified Delphi method were employed, engaging ten clinical microbiology experts from various medical schools. Simultaneously, content validity was assessed based on these ratings. Participants also determined the appropriate year of entrustment for each EPA item, and an 80% Validity index agreement threshold was calculated to ensure consensus among participant groups. Results The use of the literature review and initial expert evaluation using EQual rubric confirmed 39 out of the initially identified 43 EPAs. Following the modified Delphi method rounds, 16 EPAs gained acceptance, signifying their relevance and appropriateness for clinical microbiology residency training. These EPAs were categorized into key areas, including preanalytical testing and quality assurance, microbiological techniques and diagnostics, infection control and safety practices, clinical leadership and teamwork, research and development, and laboratory management and communication. Conclusions This study developed 16 EPAs for clinical microbiology residency programs. These EPAs were developed using a robust multi step validation study. This provides a further step towards competency-based postgraduate training in clinical microbiology. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Introduction Item analysis (IA) is widely used to assess the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The objective of this study was to perform a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative item analysis of two types of MCQs: single best answer (SBA) and extended matching questions (EMQs) currently in use in the Final Pediatrics undergraduate exam. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. We analyzed 42 SBA and 4 EMQ administered to 247 fifth-year medical students. The exam was held at the Pediatrics Department, Qena Faculty of Medicine, Egypt, in the 2020–2021 academic year. Quantitative item analysis included item difficulty (P), discrimination (D), distractor efficiency (DE), and test reliability. Qualitative item analysis included evaluation of the levels of cognitive skills and conformity of test items with item writing guidelines. Results The mean score was 55.04 ± 9.8 out of 81. Approximately 76.2% of SBA items assessed low cognitive skills, and 75% of EMQ items assessed higher-order cognitive skills. The proportions of items with an acceptable range of difficulty (0.3–0.7) on the SBA and EMQ were 23.80 and 16.67%, respectively. The proportions of SBA and EMQ with acceptable ranges of discrimination (> 0.2) were 83.3 and 75%, respectively. The reliability coefficient (KR20) of the test was 0.84. Conclusion Our study will help medical teachers identify the quality of SBA and EMQ, which should be included to develop a validated question bank, as well as questions that need revision and remediation for subsequent use.

Background The rapid integration of blended learning (BL) into anatomy education has transformed traditional teaching. the preferences and perceptions of medical students toward BL, and its impact on anatomy learning, remain underexplored. Objective This multi-institutional study aimed to assess medical students’ preferences and perceptions regarding BL in anatomy education, and to identify factors influencing their anatomy learning across three universities in Egypt and Oman. Methods A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 615 medical students from Alexandria University (Egypt), Mansoura University (Egypt), and National University (Oman). The validated Blended Learning Questionnaire (BLQ), adapted from Western Sydney University, was administered online. The BLQ evaluated preferences for learning modalities, satisfaction with BL, the role of self-regulated learning (SRL), small group activities. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, and ANOVA, with significance set at p  < 0.05. Results students expressed a preference for BL and online modalities over traditional face-to-face lectures, with the highest preference for BL observed in National University. Female students favoured small group learning, while SRL was most valued by National students. The use of audio-visual resources and flexibility in accessing online materials were highly rated. Institutional differences were noted in preferred online tools and the value of small group activities. Conclusion Medical students across diverse settings prefer blended and online learning approaches for anatomy, highlighting the need for flexible, resource-rich, and student-cantered curricula. These highlight the importance of supporting SRL and using technology to optimize anatomy education, with implications for curriculum design and faculty development.