Multi-Source Feedback: its use in training and professional development
Prof Michael Greco, CFEP Surveys, Australia*
Dr Louise Young, ACRRM, Australia
Ms Lynn Saul, ACRRM, Australia
Prof Steve Margolis, ACRRM, Australia
Feedback about performance is a key part of a doctor’s training and on-going professional development. An emerging source of clinician feedback is multi-source feedback or MSF. Such feedback consists of both patient and colleague feedback. Patient feedback is usually undertaken with a paper-based questionnaire and focuses on the doctor’s interpersonal skills. Colleague feedback tends to be undertaken using an electronic format, where the doctor invites medical, clinical and managerial/administrative peers to comment on his/her professionalism.
Despite research confirming the validity and reliability of MSF, little has been done to prepare doctors to make good use of this required feedback. In Australia, MSF is being used with GP Registrars and other doctors as part of assessment requirements.
This paper will enable participants to achieve a number of objectives such as understand the background and rationale for multi-source feedback, identify the key elements for feedback on a doctor’s professionalism, discuss the pros and cons of such feedback, both formatively and summatively, and finally explore how best to utilise MSF feedback.
The key messages of the paper are that MSF is an emerging form of assessment of a doctor’s competence; it involves both patient and colleague feedback, and it can be used both formatively and summatively. MSF can help clinicians with their professional development by identifying their professional strengths and areas in need of improvement. It is important that the results of such feedback are discussed in a supportive environment.
Click the forward and back buttons (bottom right hand corner) on the powerpoint slide below to manually move through the slides.
Click the play button below to listen to the audio of the presentation.