Medical Student Perceptions of Learner-Initiated Feedback Using a Mobile Web Application

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Effective feedback is crucial for medical trainees but often lacks timeliness and specificity.
• Existing methods for soliciting feedback can be challenging for students.
• Improving feedback mechanisms is a key area in educational research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate medical student perceptions of a learner-initiated feedback system using a mobile and web-based application.
• To assess the perceived value and effectiveness of technology-assisted feedback requests in clinical settings.
• To identify potential barriers and facilitators to implementing such a system.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving focus groups with 18 medical students during an anesthesia clerkship.
• Exploration of student experiences and perceptions regarding feedback solicitation and delivery.
• Analysis of themes related to feedback timeliness, source, and method of request.

Main Results:

• Students frequently need to actively solicit feedback from faculty.
• Timely feedback is highly valued and perceived as more effective.
• Requesting feedback from faculty physicians presents challenges, influenced by student performance.
• A mobile/web application may not inherently ensure timely feedback delivery.
• Students view technology-assisted feedback requests as valuable but acknowledge existing barriers.

Conclusions:

• Learner-initiated feedback, particularly when timely and from faculty, is perceived as essential by medical students.
• Mobile and web-based applications offer a potentially valuable tool for requesting feedback, but implementation requires addressing identified challenges.
• Further development is needed to optimize technology-assisted feedback systems for clinical education.