Frequency, Quality, and Content of Feedback to Radiology Residents: A Needs Assessment

Radiology trainee and faculty experiences with feedback are underexamined in the literature. We conducted a survey-based needs assessment to better understand radiology trainee and faculty perceptions of the feedback interactions at our institution.

A voluntary, anonymous, IRB-approved survey was sent to radiology residents and faculty in our academic radiology department in November 2024. Questions included demographics, frequency and setting of feedback, and feedback quality, content, and preferences.

22 of 68 residents (32%) and 40 of 145 faculty (28%) submitted the survey. Compared to faculty, residents perceived that feedback exchanges occurred less frequently (p<0.01), included less explanations of why changes were made to their report (p<0.01), and included less actionable next steps (p<0.01). A majority of residents desired feedback on their performance relative to expectations based on year in training; however, overall performance was reported by residents to be one of the least common topics in feedback exchanges. Multiple barriers to feedback were identified, including lack of time, high workload, and lack of resident initiation.

Residents perceived feedback to occur less frequently and to include discussion of multiple topics less often than faculty perceived, aligning with findings from other specialties. Notably, residents desired feedback on their overall performance, as well as explanations of why changes were made to their report and actionable next steps. Future research can investigate radiology feedback culture, barriers, and best practices to design interventions to optimize radiology feedback interactions.