Open AccessGiving Feedback in Medical Education
Author(s) -
Hewson Mariana G.,
Little Margaret L.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-1497.1998.00027.x
Subject(s) - feeling , interpersonal communication , medicine , narrative , peer feedback , medical education , qualitative research , applied psychology , social psychology , psychology , social science , linguistics , philosophy , sociology
OBJECTIVE: We investigated naturally occurring feedback incidents to substantiate literature‐based recommended techniques for giving feedback effectively. SETTING: A faculty development course for improving the teaching of the medical interview, with opportunities for participants to receive feedback. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy‐four course participants (clinician‐educators from a wide range of medical disciplines, and several behavioral scientists). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We used qualitative and quantitative approaches. Participants provided narratives of helpful and unhelpful incidents experienced during the course and then rated their own narratives using a semantic‐differential survey. We found strong agreement between the two approaches, and congruence between our data and the recommended literature. Giving feedback effectively includes: establishing an appropriate interpersonal climate; using an appropriate location; establishing mutually agreed upon goals; eliciting the learner’s thoughts and feelings; reflecting on observed behaviors; being nonjudgmental; relating feedback to specific behaviors; offering the right amount of feeback; and offering suggestions for improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Feedback techniques experienced by respondents substantiate the literature‐based recommendations, and corrective feedback is regarded as helpful when delivered appropriately. A model for providing feedback is offered.