Multi-source feedback in undergraduate medical education: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Assessment and Evaluation

Background:

• Multisource feedback (MSF) and 360-degree assessments gather multi-perspective feedback.
• MSF aligns with programmatic assessment, making it suitable for undergraduate medical education (UGME).
• This paper describes the development and pilot of an UGME MSF tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and pilot the MCC 360 tool for undergraduate medical education.
• To evaluate the impact and feasibility of MSF in a Canadian UGME program.

Main Methods:

• Collaboration between the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) and four Canadian UGME programs.
• Adaptation of the MCC 360 tool for clerkship MSF, incorporating feedback from patients, self, and mixed rater groups.
• Pilot implementation at one Canadian medical school with student post-evaluation surveys.

Main Results:

• The MCC 360 UGME tool generated individualized reports from three rater groups.
• Facilitated review of reports with students identified learning impacts.
• Students reported moderate to major learning impact, valuing patient feedback and facilitator discussions, despite finding the process burdensome.

Conclusions:

• Implementing MSF in Canadian UGME programs provides clerkship students with crucial patient and workplace feedback.
• Early exposure to MSF in medical careers can socialize students to this feedback modality.