The results of a survey highlighting issues with feedback on medical training in the United Kingdom and how a Smartphone App could provide a solution.

Thomas G Gray,Tom Farrell,Gill Hood

doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1649-z

Abstract

BackgroundFeedback drives learning in medical education. Healthcare Supervision Logbook (HSL) is a Smartphone App developed at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals for providing feedback on medical training, from both a trainee’s and a supervisor’s perspective. In order to establish a mandate for the role of HSL in clinical practice, a large survey was carried out.MethodsTwo surveys (one for doctors undertaking specialty training and a second for consultants supervising their training) were designed. The survey for doctors-in-training was distributed to all specialty trainees in the South and West localities of the Health Education Yorkshire and the Humber UK region. The survey for supervisors was distributed to all consultants involved in educational and clinical supervision of specialty trainees at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.ResultsThe results confirm that specialty trainees provide feedback on their training infrequently—66 % do so only annually. 96 % of the specialty trainees owned a Smartphone and 45 % said that they would be willing to use a Smartphone App to provide daily feedback on the clinical and educational supervision they receive. Consultant supervisors do not receive regular feedback on the educational and clinical supervision they provide to trainees—56 % said they never received such feedback and 33 % said it was only on an annual basis. 86 % of consultants surveyed owned a Smartphone and 41 % said they would be willing to use a Smartphone App to provide feedback on the performance of trainees they were supervising.ConclusionsFeedback on medical training is recorded by specialty trainees infrequently and consultants providing educational and clinical supervision often do not receive any feedback on their performance in this area. HSL is a simple, quick and efficient way to collect and collate feedback on medical training to improve this situation. Good support and education needs to be provided when implementing this new technology.

Highlights

Educational supervision for doctors-in-training is currently provided by a nominated educational supervisor, usually a consultant, for each trainee [2]
Gray et al BMC Res Notes (2015) 8:653 work-based assessments (WBAs) each year, which assess clinical skills, professional skills and practical skills
This study was registered as a service evaluation at the clinical effectiveness unit at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and ethical approval was not required

Summary

Introduction

Gray et al BMC Res Notes (2015) 8:653 work-based assessments (WBAs) each year, which assess clinical skills (history, examination, management decisions etc.), professional skills (such as team working, clinical judgment and communication skills) and practical skills (such as operations performed under supervision or clinical skills such as venipuncture) The results of these assessments are used to inform the educational goals set by the educational supervisor and the doctor-in-training. Often the amount of training received is adversely affected due to service pressures associated with medical staff shortages in the UK [3] This is due in part to reductions in the number of training posts and the impact of the European Working Time Regulations on hours of work. This has impacted on the amount and quality of training for doctors in the UK [4]

Methods

Results

Conclusion