ObjectivesTo determine non-Western situated health professional student experiences and preferences for feedback in workplace-based settings. MethodsWe conducted five focus groups with 27 students of Arab-origin enrolled in a Canadian-accredited cross-border pharmacy program in Qatar. Transcripts of recorded discussions were analyzed using the framework method. Hofstede’s and Hall’s cultural dimension models were employed to understand described feedback encounters and behaviours. ResultsWe identified three themes associated with cultural influences on student feedback experiences, namely: 1) collectivism; 2) power distance; and 3) context. Trainees described clinical supervisors who inadequately recognized individual performance, rejected critique, and insufficiently documented feedback onto the written in-training evaluation report. Conversely, students expected specific and timely feedback, invited criticism for learning, and desired clear written commentary. ConclusionsFeedback behaviours of clinical supervisors, but not those of trainees, were consistent with local cultural norms as described by Hofstede and Hall. Instead, feedback expectations of pharmacy students in Qatar largely echo those of other trainees enrolled in professional curricula situated outside the Middle East. Principles for optimal feedback in clinical training largely arise from Western perspectives but are not necessarily universal. Our work demonstrates that practices, in part, may be subject to local socio-cultural influences. This is of particular importance in the experiential training component of cross-border medical education programs adopted by overseas institutions. Our findings also further add to the growing body of literature reporting suboptimal feedback in workplace-based learning, reinforcing the need to cultivate more student-centered practices in health professional training globally.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.