Journal of Islamic International Medical College (Dec 2021)
Exploring the Challenges and Barrier of Delivering and Receiving Effective Feedback in Clinical Environment: A Qualitative Inquiry
Abstract
Objective: To explore the teachers and undergraduate medical students' perceptions regarding the challenges of feedback in their educational process during clinical rotation. Study Design: It was an institution based exploratory qualitative study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Islamic international medical college Islamabad from 1 January to 30 June 2016. Materials and Methods: Purposive sampling technique with maximum variation was adopted to select a total of six assistant professors from six different clinical specialties and six final year MBBS students on clinical rotations. The data was collected through structured interviews. The written consent was taken from all the respondents before conducting the interviews. Themes and sub themes were emerged through the combination of open and axial nodes.Thematic analysis of the transcribed data was done using Nvivo software. Results: A number of challenges to effective feedback were perceived by the teachers and also by the medical students during clinical clerkship in institution. The emergent themes were: time pressure, discouraging attitude of the teachers, defensive attitude of students, the inappropriate process and contents of feedback. These challenges of feedback should be addressed in order to improve the learning of the students as the ultimate beneficiaries are our patients. Conclusion: The study concluded that there were several barriers to effective feedback that were hampering the development of competent clinician. Effective constructive feedback will enhance the learning of students during their clinical rotations. It is only promising when it is specific, in time, constructive, follow appropriate structured process and encourage student involvement. Constructive feedback helps in motivating but does not dampen their learning.
