Abstract
No previous studies have described how faculty give summative evaluations to learners on the medical wards. The aim of this study was to describe summative evaluations on the medical wards. Participants were students, house staff and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh. Ward rotation evaluative sessions were tape recorded. Feedback was characterized as to whether it was: (a) general or specific; (b) positive versus corrective; (c) elaborative or simple; and (d) for corrective feedback, if an action plan was discussed. 68 evaluation sessions were recorded. 86% of sessions included general, positive statements. On average, seven specific statements were made per feedback session: five were positive and two were corrective. 52% of comments were elaborated. In 41% of cases, the learner was given an action plan for improvement. During a summative evaluation faculty do not elaborate on the learner’s behavior. This is particularly true when giving corrective feedback.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bardella, I. J., Janosky, J., Elnicki, D. M., Ploof, D., & Kolarik, R. (2005). Observed versus reported precepting skills: Teaching behaviors in a community ambulatory clerkship. Medical Education, 39, 1036–1044. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02269.x.
Beck, H. R., & Geer, B. (1982). Participant observation: The analysis of qualitative field data. In R. G. Burgess (Ed.), Field research: A source book and field manual. London: Allen and Unwin.
Branch, W. T., & Paranjape, A. (2002). Feedback and reflection: Teaching methods for clinical settings. Academic Medicine, 77(12), 1185–1188. doi:10.1097/00001888-200212000-00005.
Burack, J. H., Irby, D. M., Carline, J. D., Root, R. K., & Larsen, E. B. (1999). Teaching compassion and respect. Attending physicians’ responses to problematic behaviors. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 14, 49–55. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.1999.00280.x.
Ende, J. (1983). Feedback in clinical medical education. The Journal of American Medical Association, 250, 777–781. doi:10.1001/jama.250.6.777.
Ende, J., Pomerantz, A., & Erickson, F. (1995). Preceptors’ strategies for correcting residents in an ambulatory care medicine setting: A qualitative analysis. Academic Medicine, 70, 224–229. doi:10.1097/00001888-199503000-00014.
Gil, D. H. (1984). Perceptions of medical school faculty members and students on clinical clerkship feedback. Journal of Medical Education, 59, 856–864.
Hewson, M. G., & Little, M. L. (1998). Giving feedback in medical education. Verification of recommended techniques. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 13, 111–116. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.1998.00027.x.
Holmboe, E. S., Friebach, N. H., Galaty, L. A., & Huot, S. (2001). Effectiveness of a focused educational intervention on resident evaluations from faculty: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(7), 427–434. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016007427.x.
Holmboe, E. S., Yepes, M., Williams, F., & Huot, S. J. (2004). Feedback and the mini clinical evaluation exercise. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 19(5), 558–561. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30134.x.
Irby, D. M. (1994). What clinical teachers in medicine need to know. Academic Medicine, 69(5), 333–342. doi:10.1097/00001888-199405000-00003.
Irby, D. M. (1995). Teaching and learning in ambulatory care settings: A thematic review of the literature. Academic Medicine, 70(10), 898–931. doi:10.1097/00001888-199510000-00014.
Issacson, J. H., Posk, L. K., Litaker, D. G., & Halperin, A. K. (1995). Resident perceptions of the evaluation process. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 10(5), 89.
Lang, F., Everett, K., McGowen, R., & Bennard, B. (2000). Faculty development in communication skills instruction: Insights from a longitudinal program with “Real-Time Feedback”. Academic Medicine, 75, 1222–1228. doi:10.1097/00001888-200012000-00022.
Mattern, W. D., Weinholtz, D., & Friedman, C. P. (1983). The attending physicain as teacher. The New England Journal of Medicine, 308, 1129–1132.
Morton, J., Cumming, A., & Cameron, H. (2007). Performance-based assessment in undergraduate medical education. The Clinical Teacher, 4(1), 36–41.
Pangaro, L. (1999). A new vocabulary and other innovations for improving descriptive in-training evaluations. Academic Medicine, 74, 41–45. doi:10.1097/00001888-199911000-00012.
Pope, C., Ziebland, S., & Mays, N. (2000). Qualitative research in health care. Analysing qualitative data. BMJ, 320(7227), 114–116. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7227.114.
Rhodes-Kropf, J., Carmody, S. S., Seltzer, D., et al. (2005). “This is Just Too Awful; I Can’t Believe I Experienced That….” Medical Students Reactions to Their “Most Memorable” Patient Death. Academic Medicine, 80(7), 634–640.
Scholtes, P. R. (1988). The team handbook: How to use teams to improve quality. Madison, WI: Joiner Associates.
Seabrook, M. (2001). Learning to teach. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 77, 361–362. doi:10.1136/pmj.77.908.361.
Stritter, F. T., & Becker, M. (1993). Research and practice in medical education. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 83(6), 314–318.
The American Board of Internal Medicine. (1987). The role of the attending physician in evaluating residents. Philadelphia: American Board of Internal Medicine.
Weinholtz, D., Everett, G., Albanese, M., & Shymansky, J. (1986). The attending round observation system: A procedure for describing teaching during attending rounds. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 9(1), 75–89. doi:10.1177/016327878600900106.
Westberg, J., & Jason, H. (1993). Collaborative clinical education: The foundation of effective health care. NY: Springer Co.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Drs. Frank Kroboth and Rosanne Granieri for their support of this work. Abstract Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine April 2005 This project was funded by the Division of General Internal Medicine education grant at the University of Pittsburgh
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hasley, P.B., Arnold, R.M. Summative evaluation on the hospital wards. What do faculty say to learners?. Adv in Health Sci Educ 14, 431–439 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-008-9127-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-008-9127-1