A randomized multicenter trial to improve resident teaching with written feedback

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Abstract
Background: Residents have an important role as teachers of medical students. Purpose: This study addressed assessment of the impact of written learner feedback on resident teaching. Methods: Senior residents (N = 30) were randomized into either an experimental group receiving feedback or a control group receiving no feedback. Team members were interviewed to identify the residents’ teaching strengths and weaknesses, and rate residents on overall teaching effectiveness and on eight specific teaching characteristics. Residents received a one‐page summary of interview comments and mean rating scores for three consecutive rotations. Results: Over a 1‐year period, there was a significant difference between the mean group ratings for the teaching characteristics Establishes Rapport (p < .01) and Provides Direction and Feedback (p < .05). Overall Teaching Effectiveness tended to improve for the experimental group over the year and remain stable for the control group (p = .07). Conclusions: Written feedback to senior residents may improve their teaching. This minimally intensive method may be a useful alternate or complement to other approaches supporting resident teaching.