Components of Mid-clerkship Feedback in a Neurology Clerkship and their Impact on Subsequent Student Performance

Feedback during clinical rotations can be valuable in improving medical student education, but it is unclear what effect such feedback has on subsequent clinical performance and also which feedback topics are the most important in student growth and education. We compared medical student clinical performance before and after mid-clerkship feedback in a Neurology clerkship, with evaluators at the mid-clerkship and at the end blinded to the others' comments. We found that the most important areas holding back student clinical performance were communication, interpersonal interactions, and work ethic rather than textbook knowledge, or the ability to take a history, and do a physical and neurologic examination. Further, students who had concerning comments at the mid-clerkship feedback session usually continued to have the same problems after the feedback (in an admittedly short clerkship). The results suggest that more attention should be given to communication and other interpersonal skills and involvement in the clinical service during feedback sessions and that feedback continue over a much longer period than during a relatively brief Neurology clerkship alone.