Table 4 Themes related to format preference

EAP is time efficient and less repetitive, allowing for discussion of critical components of patient care

much more efficient and avoids repetition… allow[ing] us to spend more time talking with patients instead of about [them] (Student)

faster and incorporates pertinent information where it is needed (Resident)

provides an opportunity for students to consolidate their understanding of a patient’s current condition and the plan for moving them forward (Student)

allows for the majority of our time to be spent discussing the component that is most important: the assessment and plan (Student)

more concise and only includes relevant information (Resident)

EAP follows a more natural thought process

follows logical thought processes, the way I actually think about the patient and synthesize their data (Resident)

ideas flow more naturally, and connections are better highlighted (Student)

integrates your information with your assessment and plan to provide a cohesive story of the patient’s current presentation (Resident)

allows information to be presented in context… where it is most relevant (Resident)

better fits how attendings and experienced trainees more commonly communicate with one another (Resident)

EAP allows for communication of thinking and demonstration of knowledge

allows the student to show off their medical knowledge by correctly grouping data (Student)

a better way for students to show what they are thinking and what they know (Student)

encouraged intentional thought about subjective/objective data and how it affects each problem (Student)

forces you to think critically about why you’re doing the things you’re doing for the patient, better focus on the assessment and plan (Student)

allows me to demonstrate my clinical judgement (Resident)

SOAP is more familiar and switching between formats can be difficult

more universally used on other services so we are more accustomed to it.. following one template is easier than trying to switch how you present depending on each attending (Student)

the much more common format and it's what most medical students are taught in school… when we [ask] medical students to present in an entirely different format they seem to get hung up on making sure things are in this unfamiliar format and it takes away from them practicing the important clinical skills that come from giving strong oral presentations… presenting on rounds is where medical students do some of their most important learning, and adding logistical confusion to that process only seems to take away from their opportunities to both learn and build confidence in their clinical reasoning (Resident)

this is the method that I am most comfortable with (Resident)

I find the SOAP format easier to use because that is what I have traditionally been taught… I see merits to the EAP approach, however (Resident)

I prefer SOAP mostly because I'm far more familiar with it… I used EAP for a few days with a new attending that came on and it was kind of confusing and I was not sure what exactly the difference was and what qualifies as an "event"… if I had more experience with EAP, it may be my preferred one (Student)

SOAP helps illuminate the patient’s current status

allows for deep thought about each piece of information [with regards to] the patient's current status (Student)

makes sure people know what is happening (Resident)

hearing the interval, subjective, and objective information first allows me to paint a picture of the current situation prior to hearing the assessment and plan (Resident)