Integrating Feedback Into The Busy Office Setting

The "IMPROVE" strategy can make it easier for you to provide effective feedback to your students. It helps you prepare a student for feedback and it orients you to provide specific information geared to improving the student's future performance.

However, at this point, you might be asking yourself, "How do I implement the "IMPROVE" strategy into my practice?" Here are a few suggestions about incorporating feedback and where it should occur.

There are a number of key opportunities to provide feedback to your students.

Orientation: The first opportunity to discuss the feedback process occurs during the student's orientation to your office. This is the ideal time to discuss the feedback process you plan to use in your office, provide the student handout (text version) described previously, and begin to create a context where the student knows that this will be a part of his or her experience with you.

Day-To-Day: As we have discussed, the timeliness of feedback is critical and it is most effective when provided promptly after a specific encounter. But how can you do this during your busy patient schedule?

  • Give brief feedback of directly observed encounters and case presentations throughout the day - with two to three key prioritized points.
  • You do not necessarily need to provide feedback on every case presentation. However, you do want to give more extensive feedback on a regular basis.
  • Set aside 10-20 minutes each day to review cases and go over feedback and teaching points in greater detail.
  • The daily reviews can be done over lunch (however, if you lunch in a public place, be aware of patient confidentiality issues), at the end of the day, or during some other uninterrupted time with your student.
  • During the day, you may also decide to jot some notes to yourself about the topics you want to cover during the feedback time.

Mid-Rotation Evaluation: A mid-rotation evaluation complements the day-to-day feedback provided in case presentations, observations, and daily debriefings. Please refer to the mid-rotation evaluation form (text version)

End-of-Rotation Evaluation: This session serves as a wrap-up of the student's time with you. It is an ideal opportunity to discuss the experiences of both you and your student during the rotation. It also is an opportunity to identify the student's particular strengths and things the student can work on during future rotations. This helps to provide a sense of educational continuity for the student. Again, refer to the final evaluation form (text version)

Video: Example of a student presenting.

What feedback might you give this student?

Video: Example of a preceptor providing feedback.

What did the preceptor do well?
What would you recommend to the preceptor to improve his feedback to the student?

Module 4: Providing Feedback