How to Provide Authentic Feedback in Medical Education

This manual provides a quick reference guide to assist educators in providing authentic feedback, how to address feedback in pre-clinical and clinical situations, and the benefits of two-way feedback in improving instruction. This manual is a collective effort between medical educators designed to ensure authentic feedback is structured for both the learner and the learning environment.

This manual enables medical educators to move from theory to practical application in both the preclinical and clinical settings. Through theory, the practical application of authentic feedback becomes a concrete application rather than a profound concept. Educators gain knowledge regarding how theoretical concepts become a reality leading to student success and self-directed learning. The manual guides the educator through the various modalities in which feedback is required to drive student success, such as formative practice, learning environments, small group learning, multiple-choice assessments, and clinical settings. Finally, the manual ends with two-way communication and describes the steps medical educators can take to become reflective professionals.

Supported by experienced and evidence-based recommendations, medical educators, administrators, and institutions are presented with checklists, strategies, and best practices for providing authentic feedback.

Ashley Gerhardson, Ph.D. earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, a Master of Education in Workforce Development and Adult Education, a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Arkansas, and an Educational Leadership Certification from Arkansas State University. Dr. Gerhardson is the Director of Data Analytics and Institutional Research for the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE). Prior to joining ACHE, Dr. Gerhardson served the Fort Smith Public Schools as an educator / instructional facilitator leading the implementation of curriculum, instructional practice, and assessment analysis. In 2019, she joined the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine as the Board Preparation Specialist.

Jana Baker, DO is currently the Associate Chief of Staff for Education at the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System where she serves as the facility's learning leader and oversees all clinical rotations. Dr. Baker graduated from Midwestern University's Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Oklahoma State University Medical Center in Tulsa, OK. She has worked as a Hospitalist in the Tulsa area and has over a decade of academic experience as a faculty member and in leadership roles at Oklahoma State University COM (OSU-COM) and Marian University COM (MU-COM).

Donald Sefcik, DO, MBA, earned his DO degree from Midwestern University's Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (MWU/CCOM) and an MBA from Purdue University. Dr. Sefcik is the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE). Prior to joining ACHE/ARCOM, he served as the Dean for the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Senior Vice President of Health Professions at Marian University. Previous administrative and academic roles include Senior Associate Dean and Professor (with tenure) in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University and Associate Dean and Professor (with tenure) at MWU/CCOM.

Naunihal (Nina) Zaveri, MS, PhD earned her master's in pharmacology/toxicology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA followed by a PhD in pharmacology from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. She has worked as a Research Scientist doing drug discovery and development in the biotechnology industry, followed by 13 years of academia in osteopathic and allopathic medical schools in the US. She recently completed her Fellowship with the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE), as well as a Diversity & Inclusion (DEI) Certificate program with eCornell University. She is a pharmacology and medical educator at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) and is passionate about DEI, medical education research and scholarship, and leadership and followership. She is a member of the National Faculty for the National Boards of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), and a member of the Executive Committee for the Division of Pharmacology Education (DPE) at the American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). She has been an active member of IAMSE for the past 10 years and participates in presentations at annual IAMSE conferences.