Reflections of Novice Veterinary Clinical Educators on Feedback Training: Insights from a UK Training Program

Within veterinary education, there is an increasing shift toward a distributed teaching model, requiring clinicians to assume roles as novice educators. To support their development, the University of Surrey pioneered a training program focused on promoting educational theory and feedback delivery skills. This study investigates the reflections of 79 novice clinical educators on their experiences with structured feedback training, analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five key themes emerged: adopting a structured feedback approach, fostering self-assessment and reflection, providing specific and constructive feedback, creating a supportive learning environment, and overcoming challenges in delivering negative feedback. Findings revealed that 99% (n = 79) of educators recognised the importance of structured feedback, advocating for established models to guide delivery. Additionally, 87% (n = 69) highlighted the value of self-reflection, viewing feedback as a two-way dialogue. Specific and constructive feedback was deemed critical by 76% (n = 60), emphasizing the balance between positive reinforcement and areas for improvement. Creating a supportive learning environment was seen as essential by 66% (n = 52) of educators, while 37% (n = 29) acknowledged challenges in delivering negative feedback due to concerns about student demotivation. Training helped reframe negative feedback as a growth opportunity, promoting actionable and constructive guidance. The study suggests redefining "feedback sessions" as "reflective teaching sessions" to better capture the interactive and developmental nature of the process. These findings underscore the necessity of structured training for novice clinical educators, advocating for clear frameworks, reflective dialogue, and a reframed approach to feedback delivery to enhance student learning.