Optimizing surgical education through the implementation of a feedback curriculum

While the advent of work-hour restrictions contributes to increased resident well-being, new interventions are needed to ensure that surgical residents continue to be adequately trained. Our study aims to take the evidence supportive of enhanced feedback and apply it in the real world by creating a feedback training curriculum within a surgical residency.

A large academic general surgery residency program consisting of 42 residents was sequentially surveyed using the Kirkpatrick model to assess baseline attitudes towards feedback and the efficacy of a feedback training program for faculty and residents.

After feedback training, the number of residents that believed their faculty were providing feedback effectively increased from 23% to 54%. Although limited by small sample size, improvements were likely seen in constructive feedback overall and quality feedback from senior residents.

Formal feedback training should be incorporated into efforts to enhance educational skills among surgical faculty.