Achieving 360o student feedback using SPaCE

Abstract

The use of simulated patients (SPs) in undergraduate medical curricula is now an accepted norm. SPs play an important role in the delivery of feedback to medical students. In Dundee, SPs are used in clinical skills teaching sessions from year 1 onwards. Currently SPs provide open feedback to students during communication skills sessions. Rather than giving balanced feedback, SPs can sometimes focus on the negative aspects of a student's performance. This research study developed a closed-feedback tool to be used by SPs to provide constructive feedback to final-year medical students after they have undertaken the Final Year Ward Simulation Exercise (FYWSE). The Simulated Patient Candidate Evaluation (SPaCE) tool was evaluated using a convenience sample of SPs who rated the applicability of the tool by reviewing three previous FYWSE videos. The SPs were able to engage with the SPaCE tool, agreeing that it helped them to identify differences between student's performances. Correlations were shown between the SP's assessment and the marks awarded by the assessment panel. The SPaCE tool is a structured, standardised feedback tool that SPs can complete easily and quickly. The SpaCE tool encourages SPs to provide feedback from specific interactions they have had with students during the FYWSE. In the SP's opinion, good interaction and good interpersonal skills are the determinants of good performance.