The role of feedback in improving the effectiveness of workplace based assessments: a systematic review

Abstract

BackgroundWith recent emphasis placed on workplace based assessment (WBA) as a method of formative performance assessment, there is limited evidence in the current literature regarding the role of feedback in improving the effectiveness of WBA. The aim of this systematic review was to elucidate the impact of feedback on the effectiveness of WBA in postgraduate medical training.MethodsSearches were conducted using the following bibliographic databases to identify original published studies related to WBA and the role of feedback: Medline (1950-December 2010), Embase (1980-December 2010) and Journals@Ovid (English language only, 1996-December 2010). Studies which attempted to evaluate the role of feedback in WBA involving postgraduate doctors were included.Results15 identified studies met the inclusion criteria and minimum quality threshold. They were heterogeneous in methodological design. 7 studies focused on multi source feedback, 3 studies were based on mini-clinical evaluation exercise, 2 looked at procedural based assessment, one study looked at workplace based assessments in general and 2 studies looked at a combination of 3 to 6 workplace based assessments. 7 studies originated from the United Kingdom. Others were from Canada, the United States and New Zealand. Study populations were doctors in various grades of training from a wide range of specialties including general practice, general medicine, general surgery, dermatology, paediatrics and anaesthetics. All studies were prospective in design, and non-comparative descriptive or observational studies using a variety of methods including questionnaires, one to one interviews and focus groups.ConclusionsThe evidence base contains few high quality conclusive studies and more studies are required to provide further evidence for the effect of feedback from workplace based assessment on subsequent performance. There is, however, good evidence that if well implemented, feedback from workplace based assessments, particularly multisource feedback, leads to a perceived positive effect on practice.

Implementing Formative Assessment at the Workplace: A Retrospective Analyses

“…Even though this study had shown a promising result in term of students' improvement, systematic review had found that there is no direct effect between feedback and work-based assessments (Saedon et al 2012). There were few other factors that might be contributed to the result.…”

Competency based surgical training

“…The aim of such WBAs tools is to not only provide evidence on a trainee's ability to perform in clinical practice but also some authors are of the view that it can show improvement in the quality of workplace training through supervised reflection and feedback. [5][6][7][8] This article is about the use of WBAs in improving trainee doctor's competence and workplace performance; explore why they are so unpopular amongst both trainees and trainers and what can be done to improve their work based learning.…”

Evaluation of feedback given to trainees in medical specialties

“…10 There is good evidence that if well implemented, feedback from WBAs leads to a perceived positive effect on clinical practice. 11 However, there are very few studies in the literature evaluating the quality of the feedback provided to trainees during their WBAs, especially for medical specialties. We used accepted tools in educational research, such as qualitative analysis in the form of thematic analysis and also quantitative analysis .…”