Repeated evaluations of the quality of clinical teaching by residents

Cornelia R M G Fluit; Remco Feskens; Sanneke Bolhuis; Richard Grol; Michel Wensing; Roland Laan

doi:10.1007/s40037-013-0060-5

Repeated evaluations of the quality of clinical teaching by residents

Perspect Med Educ. 2013 Apr;2(2):87-94. doi: 10.1007/s40037-013-0060-5.

Authors

Cornelia R M G Fluit¹, Remco Feskens², Sanneke Bolhuis³, Richard Grol⁴, Michel Wensing⁴, Roland Laan^{3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Academic Educational Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 306 IWOO, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. c.fluit@iwoo.umcn.nl.
² Department of Methods and Statistics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
³ Academic Educational Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 306 IWOO, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
⁴ Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 306 IWOO, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Rheumatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 306 IWOO, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Abstract

Many studies report on the validation of instruments for facilitating feedback to clinical supervisors. There is mixed evidence whether evaluations lead to more effective teaching and higher ratings. We assessed changes in resident ratings after an evaluation and feedback session with their supervisors. Supervisors of three medical specialities were evaluated, using a validated instrument (EFFECT). Mean overall scores (MOS) and mean scale scores were calculated and compared using paired T-tests. 24 Supervisors from three departments were evaluated at two subsequent years. MOS increased from 4.36 to 4.49. The MOS of two scales showed an increase >0.2: 'teaching methodology' (4.34-4.55), and 'assessment' (4.11-4.39). Supervisors with an MOS <4.0 at year 1 (n = 5) all demonstrated a strong increase in the MOS (mean overall increase 0.50, range 0.34-0.64). Four supervisors with an MOS between 4.0 and 4.5 (n = 6) demonstrated an increase >0.2 in their MOS (mean overall increase 0.21, range -0.15 to 53). One supervisor with an MOS >4.5 (n = 13) demonstrated an increase >0.02 in the MOS, two demonstrated a decrease >0.2 (mean overall increase -0.06, range -0.42 to 0.42). EFFECT-S was associated with a positive change in residents' ratings of their supervisors, predominantly in supervisors with relatively low initial scores.

Keywords: Assessment; Clinical teacher; Evaluation; Instrument; Postgraduate medical education.