Student perceptions of assessment and feedback in longitudinal integrated clerkships

This study was conducted to elucidate how the learning environment and the student-preceptor relationship influence student experiences of being assessed and receiving feedback on performance. Thus, we examined how long-term clinical clerkship placements influence students' experiences of and views about assessment and feedback.

We took a constructivist grounded approach, using authentic assessment and communities of practice as sensitising concepts. We recruited and interviewed 13 students studying in longitudinal integrated clerkships across two medical schools and six settings, using a semi-structured interview framework. We used an iterative coding process to code the data and arrive at a coding framework and themes.

Students valued the unstructured assessment and informal feedback that arose from clinical supervision, and the sense of progress derived from their increasing responsibility for patients and acceptance into the health care community. Three themes emerged from the data. Firstly, students characterised their assessment and feedback as integrated, developmental and longitudinal. They reported authenticity in the monitoring and feedback that arose from the day-to-day delivery of patient care with their preceptors. Secondly, students described supportive and caring relationships and a sense of safety. These enabled them to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses and to interpret critical feedback as supportive. Students developed similar relationships across the health care team. Thirdly, the long-term placement provided for multiple indicators of progress for students. Patient outcomes were perceived as representing direct feedback about students' development as doctors. Taking increasing responsibility for patients over time is an indicator to students of their increasing competence and contributes to the developing of a doctor identity.

Clerkship students studying for extended periods in one environment with one preceptor perceive assessment and feedback as authentic because they are embedded in daily patient care, useful because they are developmental and longitudinal, and constructive because they occur in the context of a supportive learning environment and relationship.