Student Preferences for Feedback Delivery in Healthcare Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Feedback plays a vital role in student learning by identifying areas for improvement and promoting academic growth. The effectiveness of feedback depends on its form and when it is delivered. The literature has shown that students express a desire for more systematic and timely feedback and diverse strategies for feedback delivery. However, little is known about healthcare profession students' preferred feedback styles in different learning activities.

The study aims to investigate the preferred feedback styles of pharmacy and nursing students in Fatima College of Health Sciences (FCHS), a healthcare education institution in the United Arab Emirates.

A web-based survey was sent to pharmacy and nursing students on two campuses. The survey assessed preferred feedback methods in six areas: preparedness, performance, and attitude during a clinical activity, technical procedures, and inpatient and outpatient care. Respondents chose their preferred feedback method for each area.

A total of 196 students completed the survey. Uniquely, the findings showed that the majority of students valued feedback on preparation, performance, attitude, and patient care most when it was given privately after the activity, whereas feedback on technical procedures was better received when delivered immediately and openly during the activity.

The findings revealed the need to tailor feedback approaches to both task type and learner expectations. These insights can be leveraged to enhance teaching practice and guide faculty training, thereby strengthening feedback practices in healthcare professions education.