Evaluation of Feedback Systems for the Third-Year Surgical Clerkship

Abstract

Objective: To compare faculty-to-student feedback rates from 2 different data sets: direct observation cards (direct evidence) and end-of-clerkship questionnaires (ECQs, secondary student reporting). We as authors hypothesized that direct evidence from observation cards would yield higher rates of feedback, compared with student-reported ECQs.

Design: Data were gathered from 2 consecutive medical classes of the third-year surgical clerkship. Data were analyzed retrospectively. Subjects and authors were blinded during data collection and analysis.

Setting: University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) and University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). UMHS is an academic tertiary care center, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Participants: Data were gathered from all third-year medical students completing the surgical clerkship from 2012 to 2014. Data were available for 309 students, compared to 313 students who graduated from UMMS during that time.

Results: Directly measured rates of feedback showed higher rates of midclerkship feedback (95.43% vs 83.57%, p < 0.05), feedback on an observed history-taking (97.62% vs 84.87%, p < 0.05), and feedback on an observed physical examination (99.67% vs 79.71%, p < 0.05), when compared with the ECQ.

Conclusion: These data suggest that solely using ECQs to assess feedback rates may be inadequate. The use of multiple methods to assess feedback may therefore be a prudent choice for surgical clerkships.

Keywords: Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Professionalism; assessment; feedback; medical student; surgical clerkship; surgical education.