Are we ready for the feedback? A qualitative exploratory study on residents' awareness and readiness for multisource...

In the constantly advancing, dynamic and competitive fields of residency programmes, continuous professional development is crucial for fostering competent and well-rounded health professionals. Multisource (MS) (360°) feedback is widely adopted internationally as a comprehensive tool to assess residents' performance, yet it is not commonly practised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Therefore, this study aims to explore awareness and readiness among residents in KSA to receive 360° feedback.

A qualitative exploratory study using in-depth semistructured interviews.

Secondary and tertiary care hospitals in major cities, recognised for postgraduate training by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties of KSA.

For the study, medical residents of diverse specialties were recruited by the convenience sampling method. Informed written consent for participation was taken. Audio recorded interviews data were transcribed, and a thematic analysis technique was used to extract the themes.

A total of 7 female and 2 male residents participated. The study extracted four major themes with 31 subthemes accordingly. The subthemes were categorised under the following major themes: lack of awareness of the concept, acknowledging the value of multisource feedback (MSF), receptivity/readiness and challenges.

The study underscores the significant potential of MS (360°) feedback in fostering the personal and professional development of medical residents in KSA. The participants initially lacked a clear understanding of MSF, including its goals, key stakeholders and the competencies it assesses. However, many residents swiftly acknowledged its benefits in offering holistic and equitable evaluation. They demonstrated a strong desire for its implementation across all residency programmes to foster their personal and professional development.