Residency Faculty Teaching Evaluation: What Do Faculty, Residents, and Program Directors Want?

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Common Residency Program Requirements stipulate that each faculty member’s performance be evaluated annually. Feedback is essential to this process, yet the culture of medicine poses challenges to developing effective feedback systems. The current study explores existing and ideal characteristics of faculty teaching evaluation systems from the perspectives of key stakeholders: faculty, residents, and residency program directors (PDs). Methods: We utilized two qualitative approaches: (1) confidential semistructured telephone interviews with PDs from a convenience sample of eight family medicine residency programs, (2) qualitative responses from an anonymous online survey of faculty and residents in the same eight programs. We used inductive thematic analysis to analyze the interviews and survey responses. Data collection occurred in the fall of 2017. Results: All eight (100%) of the PDs completed interviews. Survey response rates for faculty and residents were 79% (99/126) and 70% (152/216), respectively. Both PD and faculty responses identified a desire for actionable, real-time, frequent feedback used to foster continued professional development. Themes unique to faculty included easy accessibility and feedback from peers. Residents expressed an interest in in-person feedback and a process minimizing potential retribution. Residents indicated that feedback should be based on shared understanding of what skill(s) the faculty member is trying to address. Conclusions: PDs, faculty, and residents share a desire to provide faculty with meaningful, specific, and real-time feedback. Programs should strive to provide a culture in which feedback is an integral part of the learning process for both residents and faculty.

Using a Delphi Technique to Define a Feedback Culture in Graduate Medical Education

“…The research team consisted of two family medicine faculty and a research associate, all of whom have experience in the Delphi technique, and have previously been involved in, and published on, research related to giving and receiving feedback in graduate medical education. [10][11][12] As a team, the researchers reviewed ORIGINAL ARTICLES…”

“…Using case study methodology similar to Bodenheimer et al, 9 we gleaned learnings from over 50 graduate medical education programs across the United States, most of which are family medicine residencies, to implement and sustain direct observation feedback tools. [10][11][12] Through sustained work with 27 residency teaching practices in a regional primary care residency collaborative active in three states, Donahue, Newton, Page and colleagues collected data showing wide variation in clinical quality and utilization. 13,14 Through this combined work, Page et al identified variation in program needs and general readiness to adopt feedback practices, and also discerned a possible association between a culture of continuous quality improvement and programs with enhanced elements of feedback practices.…”

Feedback Quality in an Aligned Teacher-Training Program

“…This is in alignment with family medicine program director and resident identification of quality feedback as containing actionable, specific information. 20…”

Institutional and Faculty Partnerships to Promote Learner Preparedness for Health Professions Education

“…Faculty development should include time for reflection, supportive mentorship, and frequent feedback. When given the opportunity to reflect and interject personal narratives into teaching and receive meaningful feedback and evaluations, faculty develop compassion, humanistic attitudes, and values that can be transferred to the students they teach [34,36]. Appropriate funding, staff, and other resources should be provided to ensure faculty success.…”