Cureus. 2026 Feb 19;18(2):e103910. doi: 10.7759/cureus.103910. eCollection 2026 Feb.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Feedback is fundamental to Emergency Medicine (EM) education; however, residents frequently encounter obstacles when attempting to obtain and implement it. Learner-driven feedback strategies may strengthen feedback culture; however, methods to develop feedback literacy, the ability of learners to understand, value, and effectively use feedback, remain largely underexplored. We developed and evaluated a workshop to prepare EM residents to actively engage in the feedback process.
METHODS: A prospective pre-post survey was conducted at a single academic EM residency. Postgraduate year (PGY) 1-3 residents participated in a 1.5-hour interactive, practice-based workshop that included didactic components and hands-on activities focused on clarifying expectations, goal setting, and receiving feedback. Residents completed pre- and post-surveys using a five-point Likert scale to assess comfort. Knowledge retention was assessed one week later with a 15-question assessment. Pre- and post-surveys were evaluated by paired t-test analysis.
RESULTS: Thirty-one residents completed the pre-survey, and 30 completed both the post-survey and the knowledge assessment. Statistically significant improvements were observed in resident comfort for clarifying expectations (Δ = 0.67; p < 0.001), creating goals (Δ = 0.90; p < 0.001), comfort receiving feedback (Δ = 0.33; p = 0.01), seeking feedback (Δ = 0.40; p = 0.02), creating feedback action plans (Δ = 1.70; p < 0.001), reflecting on and implementing feedback (Δ = 0.40; p < 0.001), and recognizing feedback as the learner’s responsibility (Δ = 0.53; p = 0.002). Perceptions of feedback’s importance and impact on patient care remained high and unchanged. Knowledge retention among residents was high, with 91.1% of items (247/270) answered correctly. The strongest performance was observed in the domains of Expectations (87/90, 96.7%) and Goal Setting (88/90, 97.8%), while the Feedback Action Plan domain showed the lowest scores (73/90, 81.1%). Conclusion: A structured workshop significantly improved EM residents’ comfort, knowledge, and skills in engaging with feedback. Early introduction of learner‑driven strategies may strengthen feedback culture and support professional development. This learner‑centered model represents a meaningful shift from traditional faculty‑directed feedback frameworks by placing primary ownership of the process in the hands of learners. Further research is needed to assess long‑term retention, clinical application, and the role of faculty development.
PMID:41869253 | PMC:PMC13005656 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.103910
