Balancing responsibility-sharing in the simulated clinical skills setting: A strategy to remove barriers to feedback engagement as a new concept to promote a growth-enhancing process

Abstract

Background. When feedback is provided in a formative context, it must be used effectively by learners. Many barriers prevent medical students from meaningfully engaging with feedback in the clinical learning environment.
Objective. To explore how medical students engage with feedback in preclinical skills training.
Methods. Using an exploratory qualitative methodology, data from five focus groups, including 25 purposively selected third-year medical students, were iteratively analysed and identified and key themes were clarified.
Results. The data revealed barriers that inhibit the use of feedback, ranging from students’ difficulties with decoding feedback, to their unwillingness to expend effort. Thematic analysis revealed four major themes related to the barriers to feedback receptivity and utilisation.
Conclusion. Without collaboration, neither clinical educators nor students are empowered to fully remove the abovementioned barriers. Promoting a student’s learning is often framed as predominantly the task of their clinical educators. With a move towards constructivism, competency-based medical education claims that effective learning requires students to complement and significantly share in their educator’s responsibilities for their academic growth. Developing a responsibility-sharing culture in the giving and receiving of feedback ensures that students benefit fully from the feedback received through proactive engagement, leading to effective and sustainable clinical educator’s feedback practices. With minimal discussion on the concept of
responsibility-sharing in the context of assessment feedback in medical education, it is necessary to further analyse and discuss this critical issue by considering certain expectations that should reinforce such a culture, along with the practicalities of creating this cultural shift within the preclinical skills setting.