Residency provides an intensive training experience in which feedback guides the development of the physician.
The training program’s provision of feedback and the resident’s seeking and using the feedback foster the development of the physician. In fact it is viewed as critical.
Clinical education is rooted in experiential learning. Duffy and Holmbe (2006) note “Physicians learn from their patients. Educational theory and empirical research demonstrate that clinicians develop competence in their work by learning from their mistakes in performance.
Advancing to expert levels of competence will not happen by reviewing failures in secret and making personal corrections; it needs guided feedback from other experts. The feedback needs to be based on an accurate appraisal of performance that identifies areas for expanding knowledge or improving methods of work.”
As noted at the International Physician Health Conference in 2006, feedback is considered one of the top ten conditions for a healthy residency and is provided in real time, has a constructive focus, is consistent between verbal and written input, and includes self-care items. Residents ask for real time feedback and participate in training on how to seek and receive feedback.
Additional Information:
References:
Assessment in Lifelong Learning and Improving Performance in Practice Physician Know Thyself 2006 Duffy FD, Holmboe ES,
JAMA 296:1137-1139
Developing essential professional skills: a framework for teaching and learning about feedback 2005 Henderson P, Ferguson-Smith AC, Johnson MH,
BMC Medical Education 5(1): 11
