Invited commentary on: Defining the need for faculty development in assessment

Abstract

As the role of competency-based education becomes more standard in the field of surgery, faculty are increasingly called on to provide meaningful and thoughtful feedback to address resident and student development. However, the expectations for faculty to teach and provide feedback are in conflict with additional pressures on faculty time and, in many institutions, without formal assessment training. 1 DaRosa D.A. Skeff K. Friedland J.A. et al. Barriers to effective teaching. Acad Med. 2011; 86: 453-459 Crossref PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar In performing a needs assessment for faculty development, the study by Steinemann and colleagues provides insight from leaders in surgical education into faculty teaching efficacy and comfort level with available assessments of learner performance. 2 Steinemann S. Korndorrfer Jr., J. Dent D. et al. Defining the need for faculty development in assessment. Am J Surg. 2021; Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar The results reveal a need for faculty development in the domains of verbal and written feedback and in improving comfort and familiarity with current assessment tools. Further, the study identifies a gap between the perceived importance of specific skills, such as the technical skills developed doing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and faculty ability to provide meaningful feedback on that skill. Wider gaps are found when considering non-technical skill assessment. Respondents to the survey were educators from both Graduate Medical Education and Undergraduate Medical Education with a defined role in education at their institutions.