Students' ratings of instructors in a multidiscipline course

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Healthcare Professions Education

Background:

• Evaluating multidisciplinary courses, particularly those using small group bedside teaching, presents significant challenges.
• Traditional evaluation methods may not adequately capture the nuances of clinical teaching effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of a simple student rating system for monitoring a comprehensive clinical methods course.
• To determine if student feedback could identify and facilitate improvements in teaching quality and course structure.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a student rating system within an 180-hour clinical methods course at the University of Ottawa School of Medicine.
• Systematic collection and analysis of student ratings across lectures, laboratories, and bedside teaching sessions.
• Evaluation of over 3,000 hours of instruction delivered by approximately 250 instructors.

Main Results:

• The student rating system successfully monitored extensive teaching hours across diverse departments.
• Analysis of ratings pinpointed specific unsatisfactory areas within the course curriculum and delivery.
• The feedback provided actionable insights for course organizers to address identified difficulties.

Conclusions:

• A simple student rating system is a feasible and effective tool for evaluating complex medical courses.
• Student feedback is crucial for identifying and rectifying issues in clinical teaching, enhancing educational quality.
• This monitoring approach improved understanding and correction of course-related challenges.