Learning from patients' written feedback: medical students' experiences

Objective: This study explores students' experiences of learning based on patients' written feedback, obtained through the Patient Feedback in Clinical Practice (PFCP) questionnaire. Methods: Fifty-nine medical students evaluated their learning experience of receiving patients' written feedback obtained from the PFCP questionnaire. Students (N = 57) evaluated their experiences by applying a nine-question evaluation survey (Likert scale N = 3 and free-text questions N = 6) and/or participated in a semi-structured interview (N = 6 students). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Results: The analysis of data from the students' evaluation survey was performed using 4-point Likert scale questions presented in mean, SD and range; ability to apply patient centred communication (3.3, 0.74, 2-4), guidance for further clinical training of clinical skills (3.2, 1.31, 1-4) and visualization of the pedagogical assignment during an encounter (3.0, 1.68, 1-4). A content analysis of the free-text questions from the students' evaluation surveys and interviews resulted in three themes: (1) confidence in clinical practice, (2) application of patient-centred communication and (3) identification of learning needs. Conclusions: The results indicate that patients' feedback facilitated a reflective self-directed learning process with the identification of learning needs and increased awareness of the patient as a collaborative partner during the encounter. Patients' written feedback adjacent to a patient encounter is identified as a valuable additional learning tool in medical students' workplace learning. Further studies are required to explore how patients' written feedback can be operationalized in different clinical contexts, for example, in in-patient care.