The DOI matches its Crossref record; 65 of the 66 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
What is feedback in clinical education?
Abstract
Objective Feedback is important in clinical education. However, the medical education literature provides no consensual definition of feedback. The aim of this study is to propose a consensual, research‐based, operational definition of feedback in clinical education. An operational definition is needed for educational practice and teacher training, and for research into the effectiveness of different types of feedback. Methods A literature search about definitions of feedback was performed in general sources, meta‐analyses and literature reviews in the social sciences and other fields. Feedback definitions given from 1995 to 2006 in the medical education literature are also reviewed. Results Three underlying concepts were found, defining feedback as ‘information’; as ‘reaction’, including information, and as a ‘cycle’, including both information and reaction. In most medical education and social science literature, feedback is usually conceptualised as information only. Comparison of feedback definitions in medical education reveals at least 9 different features. The following operational definition is proposed. Feedback is: ‘Specific information about the comparison between a trainee’s observed performance and a standard, given with the intent to improve the trainee’s performance.’ Conclusions Different conceptual representations and the use of different key features might be a cause for inconsistent definitions of feedback. The characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of this research‐based operational definition are discussed.
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“Feedback helps students make sense of their learning and compare their performance against a recognized standard. 1-3”
From Medical student perceptions of feedback and feedback behaviors within the context of the “educational alliance.” (2017) · cites this paper as [1]
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“Van de Ridder and colleagues operationalize the definition of feedback in clinical education as ‘‘ specific information about the comparison between a trainee’s observed performance and a standard, given with the intent to improve the trainee’s performance ’’ (Van de Ridder et al. 2008).”
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Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Van De Ridder, J. M. M., Stokking, K. M., McGaghie, W. C., & Ten Cate, O. T. J.
- Affiliations
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Northwestern University (US)
- ORCID
- McGaghie, William C
- Venue
- Medical Education
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2008-01-22
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 189-197
- ISSN
- 0308-0110 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2923
- OpenAlex
- W1807214239
- Semantic Scholar
- e411b553fd3fa2a57ef58d5fd2f19a8d83f555a4
- Cited by
- 686
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 30 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 72 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 42 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 2.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medical Education (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovations in Medical Education
- Social Sciences › Education › Student Assessment and Feedback
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Family Practice › Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills
- Keywords
- feedback, clinical teaching, operational definitions, trainee performance, performance standards, teacher professional development, feedback loops
- MeSH terms
- Education, Medical, Feedback, Social Sciences, Teaching, Clinical Medicine, Observation
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