Faculty Development for Medical Educators

This page contains some tips for providing effective feedback

Feedback should be inclusive.

What is Inclusive Feedback:

Inclusive feedback is the practice of giving feedback with sensitivity to individuals’ diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. It fosters a safe, supportive environment where people feel comfortable expressing their views and receiving constructive input.

Strategies for Inclusive Feedback

Avoid Bias

Bias creeps into feedback and shapes how we experience and rate others’ behavior and performance.

There are two types of bias:

• Affinity bias - when we rate others who are like us more highly.
• Confirmation bias - when we pay more attention to information that conforms to our assumptions and beliefs, discount data that runs counter.

Try to Understand Others

• Listen and seek to understand the perspective of the other person. (be curious!)

• Be wary of style criticism.

• Treat others as they would like to be treated.

Strategies for Optimizing Feedback Delivery

• Protect time, ensure both parties fully present

• Provide reinforcing AND correcting feedback

• Engage in bidirectional dialogue

• Set goals supported by learner’s self-assessment

Below are some feedback pitfalls to avoid.

Emoti-Stunned	Clear as Mud	Data Dump	The Sandwich	Again?!?	Authoritarian Royal-We
When you encounter an emotional reaction that is not expected and feel paralyzed.	When you give feedback that is jumbled and the learner looks confused.	When you give too much feedback all at once.	When your hard-hitting feedback is wrapped in positive generalities.	When you restate the same feedback after witnessing the same feedback repeatedly.	When you shame the learner intentionally or unintentionally by implying "we all know."

Information retrieved from: Palaganas JC, Edwards RA. Six common pitfalls of feedback conversations. Acad Med. 2021;96:313.

Tips for Documenting Feedback

• Say it before you write it!
• Include situation – Behavior – Impact
•  Include the trainee’s response to your feedback and the plan you made in your evaluation