Maturational differences in undergraduate medical students' perceptions about feedback
Deborah Murdoch-Eaton1, Joan Sargeant
1Leeds Institute of Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. d.g.murdoch-eaton@leeds.ac.uk
Medical Education
|June 14, 2012
Summary
Medical students
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Healthcare Professions Education
- Student Feedback
Background:
- Medical students often perceive feedback as insufficient, contrasting with supervisor perceptions.
- Understanding students' responses to and utilization of feedback remains unclear.
- Investigating maturational differences in how medical students perceive feedback is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how medical students recognize, respond to, and utilize feedback.
- To determine maturational differences in feedback understanding across medical school years.
Main Methods:
- Mixed-methods approach combining qualitative (focus groups, questionnaires) and quantitative data.
- Data collected across all 5 years of an undergraduate medical program.
- Analysis focused on student perceptions and response patterns throughout their training.
Main Results:
- Maturational differences observed in student perceptions of feedback's purpose, recognition, and provider credibility.
- Junior students viewed feedback as passive confirmation; senior students saw it as developmental.
- Senior students valued diverse feedback sources, including peers and informal verbal input.
Conclusions:
- Medical student understanding and utilization of feedback evolve significantly during undergraduate training.
- Junior students prefer reassuring feedback, while senior students seek developmental input.
- Further research should explore student engagement with feedback and its link to self-esteem.
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