Feedback & Evaluation
Talking about performance is the third step of the “3T Teaching blue print”. The other two steps of the blueprint are “Setting the Table for teaching” and “Teaching rapidly”.
Below we will go over the what, why and how of talking about performance.
Talking about performance is Feedback & Evaluation
Talking about performance focuses on providing feedback and evaluation. Feedback and evaluation are similar but different entities. The tabs below detail feedback and evaluation.
Feedback
Feedback is the process in which an attending verbally informs his/her learner (student or resident) on their performance. It is often informal and done at high frequency, often multiple times during the day. It is also done at the end of the day. The purpose of feedback is to give information to the leaner so they can use it to correct mistakes and reinforce positive performance. Feedback is not tracked by GME or medical schools.
Evaluation
Evaluations are a more in-depth and formal review of learner performance. Evaluations should always be written (never verbal). Evaluations are reported to the residency programs (for residents) and medical schools (for students). Evaluations are the residency programs and medical schools only means of tracking learner performance. They are used to spot patterns of strength and weakness and provide the basis for remediation plans. Evaluations should always be done on New Innovations. Click hear to go to New Innovations.
Feedback vs Evaluation
Formality:
- Feedback is an informal discussion between the attending and the learner (medical student, PA student or resident).
- Evaluations are formal reviews of resident/Student performance. Evaluations are always done on new innovations. Click here to log in to new innovations.
Mode
- Feedback is usually done via verbal discussion between attending and learner.
- However feedback can be done by means of written communication or a combination of written/verbal communication. Evaluations should always be written (never verbal).
Frequency
- Feedback is done at a higher frequency as compared with evaluations.
- Feedback is often provided during a shift or work day (often after patient encounters) and at the end of a shift or work day. Feedback is often given multiple times during day.
- Evaluations are usually only done at completion of the attending-learner encounter. This changes depending on the rotation. On emergency medicine, evaluations should be completed after each shift. On other rotations, they may be completed weekly or at end of rotation.
Awareness
- Feedback is generally kept between the attending and the learner (it is not tracked by GME or medical schools).
- Evaluations are tracked by the learners educational program (i.e GME residency program, medical school, PA school).
Why feedback & evaluation are important
Feedback & Evaluation help you, them (residents, students) and us. This is why both of these are very important. To learn details of why they are important, click on the tabs below.
Feedback & Evaluation helps You
Correctly doing feedback & evaluation is important to YOU for several reasons.
1.It builds attending-learner rapport.
2.It increases resident “buy in”. When residents “buy in” they more often give you 110% effort. This is because it lets them know that you truly care about their wellbeing and growth.
3.It increases resident attention to detail when taking care of your patients.
Improving attending-resident rapport and increasing resident “buy in” helps the resident become productive members of your health care team and increases delivery of great patient care.
Feedback & Evaluation helps Them
Feedback and Evaluation helps residents and students in the following ways
Feedback and evaluation are the primary means in which a resident can gauge how he/she is progressing.
“A resident DOES NOT know if he/she is underperforming/over performing if YOU do not tell them”.
If the resident does not know what to continue doing, what to stop doing and what to start doing, he/she cannot grow.
It is for this reason evaluations are critically important and are a requirement for faculty appointment.
It is also why the “lack of giving feedback” is one of the most common resident complaints about attendings.
Feedback & Evaluation helps Us
Feedback & Evaluations help us is several ways
Evaluations allow residency programs to track and monitor resident’s progress. In fact, it is the only way for residency leaders to know how their residents are doing.
The residency programs need and depend on this information.
The information gained from evaluations is used by residency leadership to correct resident deficiencies and reinforce good performance.
This creates better residents which equals better care for your patient’s.
How to give feedback and do evaluations
Click on the below links to learn how to give feedback and provide evaluation
How to give Feedback
How to Evaluate
Common false beliefs about feedback & evaluation
The resident will hate me
People will say I am attacking the resident
I will have to fix the problem
The resident is just having a bad day
What I write will get the resident in trouble
The residency won’t use my evaluations
I don’t understand the evaluation system
I can’t make an accurate assessment