How I Do It: A Structured Faculty Development Workshop for Verbal Feedback

To describe an evidence-based 4-question framework that can facilitate effective feedback conversations and introduce a transferable and replicable workshop for training faculty and trainees on the process.

Descriptive report of a feedback workshop that is generalizable beyond the general surgery setting and designed to improve faculty and resident feedback skills.

This workshop was developed, executed, and studied at a single, large academic medical center. It has been incorporated into the "How to..." summer series curriculum and delivered during grand rounds.

All faculty, research staff, residents, and fellows within a single department of surgery were invited to attend.

We created an interactive workshop to train surgical faculty on a structured framework for verbal feedback. Activities include categorizing verbal feedback based on its purpose (appreciation, coaching, evaluation) and a drawing activity that facilitates practice of the 4-question framework in an accessible and generalizable manner. Debriefs for each activity provide an opportunity for discussion and identification of applicability. Most workshop attendees reported that their verbal feedback skills improved after participating in the session.

A structured framework for feedback conversations can support recognition of when feedback is being given and support delivery of high-quality feedback. This article and the supplemental materials describe a workshop that is a reproducible, low-cost approach to improving verbal feedback within surgery departments.