A learning prescription permits feedback on feedback.
BACKGROUND
Students consistently identified inadequate feedback as a deficiency in our third-year clerkship.


METHODS
We asked students to solicit one faculty and one resident every 2 weeks for written feedback on a "feedback prescription pad." Each prescription requested four comments: two things the student did well and two things the student needs to improve. Students rated feedback using a five-point scale. A three-point categorization scheme was employed to assess the quality of feedback.


RESULTS
Students' rating of feedback improved significantly compared with a previous time period (3.5 +/- 1.2 versus 2.6 +/- 1.2, P <0.01). Interrater reliability of our categorization scheme was high (kappa > or =0.75, P <0.01) and demonstrated that only 10% of comments were specific enough to qualify as effective feedback.


CONCLUSIONS
Feedback prescription pads were a simple method to facilitate feedback. Although students appreciated feedback, most feedback was inadequate. Faculty development programs to enhance student feedback should be a priority of clinical medical education.
Prystowsky
Jay B
JB
Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. jprystowsky@nmff.org
DaRosa
Debra A
DA
D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D004522:Educational Status; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology