Medical Students’ Views on Feedback in the Learning Environment

ABSTRACT Although feedback is described in literature as capable of powerfully affecting learning, in practice it rarely occurs and/or is ineffective. The aim of this research was to gauge how medical students view educational feedback, and to identify the positive and negative characteristics of both teachers and students involved with the completion of feedback. Qualitative in nature, the study collected data via focus groups of fourth-year or eighth-term students at three medical schools. Thematic analyses revealed four major themes: the characteristics of feedback received, factors related to the occurrence of feedback, characteristics of the teacher to have provided feedback, and characteristics of the student to have received feedback. Regardless of the institution and the curriculum model, this sample suggested that the practice of feedback needs to be improved in the teaching and learning environments. Teachers should be encouraged to provide feedback and students should seek it out, so that it becomes a regular, continuous, and quality practice.