Implementation and faculty perception of outpatient medical student workplace-based assessments

Marguerite Costich; Suzanne Friedman; Victoria Robinson; Marina Catallozzi

doi:10.1111/tct.13751

Implementation and faculty perception of outpatient medical student workplace-based assessments

Clin Teach. 2024 Mar 3:e13751. doi: 10.1111/tct.13751. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Marguerite Costich^{1

2}, Suzanne Friedman^{1

2}, Victoria Robinson^{1

2}, Marina Catallozzi^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian, New York, New York, USA.
² Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian, New York, New York, USA.
³ Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.

PMID: 38433555
DOI: 10.1111/tct.13751

Abstract

Background: There is growing interest in use of entrustable professional activity (EPA)-grounded workplace-based assessments (WBAs) to assess medical students through direct observation in the clinical setting. However, there has been very little reflection on how these tools are received by the faculty using them to deliver feedback. Faculty acceptance of WBAs is fundamentally important to sustained utilisation in the clinical setting, and understanding faculty perceptions of the WBA as an adjunct for giving targeted feedback is necessary to guide future faculty development in this area.

Approach: Use of a formative EPA-grounded WBA was implemented in the ambulatory setting during the paediatrics clerkship following performance-driven training and frame-of-reference training with faculty. Surveys and semi-structured interviews with faculty members explored how faculty perceived the tool and its impact on feedback delivery.

Evaluation: Faculty reported providing more specific, task-oriented feedback following implementation of the WBA, as well as greater timeliness of feedback and greater satisfaction with opportunities to provide feedback, although these later two findings did not reach significance. Themes from the interviews reflected the benefits of WBAs, persistent barriers to the provision of feedback and suggestions for improvement of the WBA.

Implications: EPA-grounded WBAs are feasible to implement in the outpatient primary care setting and improve feedback delivery around core EPAs. The WBAs positively impacted the way faculty conceptualise feedback and provide learners with more actionable, behaviour-based feedback. Findings will inform modifications to the WBA and future faculty development and training to allow for sustainable WBA utilisation in the core clerkship.

Grants and funding

Columbia University Primary Care Minigrant