Twelve tips to promote a feedback culture with a growth mind-set: Swinging the feedback pendulum from recipes to relationships

Abstract

Feedback in medical education has traditionally showcased techniques and skills of giving feedback, and models used in staff development have focused on feedback providers (teachers) not receivers (learners). More recent definitions have questioned this approach, arguing that the impact of feedback lies in learner acceptance and assimilation of feedback with improvement in practice and professional growth. Over the last decade, research findings have emphasized that feedback conversations are complex interpersonal interactions influenced by a multitude of sociocultural factors. However, feedback culture is a concept that is challenging to define, thus strategies to enhance culture are difficult to pin down. In this twelve tips paper, we have attempted to define elements that constitute a feedback culture from four different perspectives and describe distinct strategies that can be used to foster a learning culture with a growth mind-set.

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the late Dr. Karen Mann, who was a major source of inspiration and guidance to our team and a role-model to many educators worldwide.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Subha Ramani

Dr. Subha Ramani, MBBS, MMEd, FAMEE, is the Director of Evaluation and Scholars in Medical Education Pathway for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Director of Research and Scholarship at the Harvard Macy Institute, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Karen D. Könings

Dr. Karen D. Könings, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Development and Research and the School of Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University.

Shiphra Ginsburg

Dr. Shiphra Ginsburg, MD, PhD, FRCPC, is the Director of the Eliot Phillipson Clinician-Educator Training Program and Director of Education Research and Scholarship in the Department of Medicine, and Professor of Medicine (Respirology) and Scientist at the Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto.

Cees P. M. van der Vleuten

Dr. Cees P. M. van der Vleuten, PhD, is the Director of the School of Health Professions Education and Professor of Education, Department of Educational Development and Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University.