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| LETTER TO THE EDITOR |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 14
| Issue : 2 | Page : 241-242 |
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Encouraging feedback-seeking behavior among medical students
Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava1, Prateek Saurabh Shrivastava2
1 Member of the Medical Education Unit and Institute Research Council, Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth – Deemed to be University, Ammapettai, Nellikuppam, Chengalpet District, Tamil Nadu, India
2 Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth – Deemed to be University, Ammapettai, Nellikuppam, Chengalpet District, Tamil Nadu, India
| Date of Submission | 21-Dec-2019 |
| Date of Decision | 27-Feb-2020 |
| Date of Acceptance | 30-Apr-2020 |
| Date of Web Publication | 3-Mar-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava
Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV) – Deemed to be University, Tiruporur - Guduvancherry Main Road, Ammapettai, Nellikuppam, Chengalpet District, Tamil Nadu - 603108
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/mjdrdypu.mjdrdypu_349_19
In the field of medical education, the role of feedback in imparting effective curriculum delivery and making of a lifelong and self-directed learner has been acknowledged for a long period of time. Feedback seeking behavior is an important area which the administrators and teachers should aim to strengthen as it is ideal to have students as active seekers of feedback rather than passive recipients of the same. Feedback-seeking creates a platform for the effective exchange of information and plays an important role in eliminating the uncertainty related to the course and the desired competencies. In conclusion, feedback in medical education is an effective tool to promote learning among medical students. However, the overall effectiveness and teaching-learning can be enhanced if we can succeed in creating an atmosphere where the students develop a feedback seeking behavior to monitor their own professional growth.
Keywords: Feedback, students, medical education
How to cite this article:
Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS. Encouraging feedback-seeking behavior among medical students. Med J DY Patil Vidyapeeth 2021;14:241-2 |
| Introduction | |  |
In the field of medical education, the role of feedback in imparting effective curriculum delivery and making of a lifelong and selfdirected learner has been acknowledged for a long period of time.[1] It is important to understand that for ensuring professional growth, both teachers and students should be open to receive feedback, as both should aim to improve on a daily basis.[1] In the recently adopted competencybased education, it is vital to understand that formative assessment and feedback should be an integral part of the curriculum, and thus, there has to be a systematic strategy to encourage feedback of teachers to students and vice versa. Further, specific importance has to be given toward the component of students giving feedback to teachers, so that they can also improve their approach toward teaching-learning.[1]
Feedback seeking behavior
It would not be wrong to say that not only giving feedback but even feedbackseeking behavior is an important area which the administrators and teachers should aim to strengthen.[2] In simple words, feedbackseeking behavior is a desire to obtain information which is essential to ensure an improvement in the learning and performance of a student.[2] It would be ideal to have students as active seekers of feedback rather than passive recipients of the same.[3] Feedback seeking creates a platform for the effective exchange of information and plays an important role in eliminating the uncertainty related to the course and the desired competencies. [2,3]
Ways to seek feedback
Feedback seeking can be done in two ways, either through monitoring method (wherein individuals seek feedback from their environment/circumstances which they are exposed to) or through inquiry method which is by asking feedback directly from others.[3],[4]
Feedback seeking: Characteristics
In general, feedbackseeking behavior can have multiple dimensions, including type of feedback seeking, frequency, timing students' maturity, or ability to deal with negative feedback and source of feedback.[2],[3] It is quite obvious that one student will differ from the other in seeking feedback, which in return will affect their performance.[3] The extent of seeking feedback depends on the level of goals set by the student for themselves and the effectiveness of teachers in imparting the same.[3],[4]
Another merit associated with feedback seeking is that it minimizes the anxiety among students about their performance.[5] However, the extent of benefit depends on the ability of the students to be receptive to new ideas or perspectives and understand the inputs for their improvement.[4],[5] Nevertheless, we have to always keep in mind that excessive feedbackseeking behavior may promote dependency, and thus, it has to be avoided. The provision of positive feedback acts as a strong motivating factor and aid in the acquisition and development of a competent medical graduate.[4],[5]
| Conclusion | | |
In conclusion, feedback in medical education is an effective tool to promote learning among medical students. However, the overall effectiveness and teaching–learning can be enhanced if we can succeed in creating an atmosphere where the students develop a feedbackseeking behavior to monitor their own professional growth.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | | |
| 1. | Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS. Feedback role in enhancing the professional growth of the medical student and the teacher. Libyan Int Med Univ J 2018;3:70-1.  [Full text] |
| 2. | Oktaria D, Soemantri D. Undergraduate medical students' perceptions on feedback-seeking behaviour. Malays J Med Sci 2018;25:75-83. |
| 3. | Henry D, Vesel T, Boscardin C, van Schaik S. Motivation for feedback-seeking among pediatric residents: A mixed methods study. BMC Med Educ 2018;18:145. |
| 4. | de Jong LH, Favier RP, van der Vleuten CP, Bok HG. Students' motivation toward feedback-seeking in the clinical workplace. Med Teach 2017;39:954-8. |
| 5. | Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS. Potential factors influencing the effectiveness of feedback in medical education. J Curr Res Sci Med 2018;4:122-3. [Full text] |
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