Twelve tips for creating and sustaining a peer assessment program of clinical faculty

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Effective feedback is crucial for learning in health professions.
• Clinical teachers often lack specific, timely feedback on their teaching.
• Existing feedback mechanisms are frequently inadequate for improving clinical instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the creation and sustainability of a peer assessment program for clinical faculty.
• To provide twelve actionable tips for establishing and maintaining such a program.
• To improve the quality of clinical teaching and, consequently, patient care.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a peer assessment program for clinical faculty.
• Sustaining the program over five years amidst faculty turnover and the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Identification of key strategies for program creation, implementation, and long-term maintenance.

Main Results:

• The peer assessment program has been successfully implemented and sustained for five years.
• The program has been well-received by clinical faculty.
• Twelve practical tips have been identified for creating and sustaining peer assessment programs.

Conclusions:

• Peer assessment programs can be effectively created and sustained in clinical faculty settings.
• The identified tips provide a roadmap for educators seeking to improve clinical teaching through peer feedback.
• Enhanced clinical teaching through peer assessment can lead to improved learner outcomes and patient care.