A pilot study of clerkship students’ perceptions of feedback related to their self-reflection capabilities

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Background: The responsibility for providing constructive and effective feedback for the medical student generally resides with the faculty member. Potentially limiting the effectiveness of the feedback is learner capacity for self-reflection and insight, factors that may have an influence on the students' perception of feedback. Our aim of this pilot study was to assess clerkship students' perceptions of feedback received in relation to their insight and self-reflective capabilities. Methods: Twenty-one clerkship students completed a validated scale assessing self-reflection and insight capabilities. Following the presentation of a patient case to a standardized faculty member, the students described perceptions of the feedback received using visual analog scales. Results: Students scoring higher in self-reflection and their own self-perception were more likely to score higher on feedback receptivity and more likely to indicate changes in their performance on the basis of the received feedback. Conclusions: Medical students and residents need to be open to all feedback and perceive the feedback is helpful. Students' self-reflective capabilities relate to their perceptions of feedback and increasing these capabilities may help improve behavior change with feedback. Our hope is that the description of this association will spur other medical educators to explore further approaches to improving feedback.