IFM Year 1 Small Group Peer Evaluation Program

Feedback is an essential skill for physicians. Giving and receiving feedback is fundamental to the physician’s ability to learn and improve their clinical skills, collaborate with colleagues, and deliver good patient care. It plays a significant role in practice-based learning. Developing the skill to give and receive feedback provides a basis for reflective practice and life-long learning which are critical for professional development.

Feedback Check List (PDF of PowerPoint by Dr. Dennis Novack regarding Effective Feedback)

• Relate feedback to the shared goals of your small group
• Feedback should be well-intentioned. Feedback is a form of supportive coaching
• Feedback should be nonjudgmental regarding the person. You are not judging the person, but rather reflecting back specific behaviors
• Focus on observed, specific actions or behaviors. Give examples
• Affirm and appreciate positive actions or behaviors
• Make suggestions, if appropriate, and do so in a spirit of caring

Goals of Peer Evaluation

• Enable self-assessment and reflection in learning and behavior
• Clarify what is good performance
• Provide students with quality information to help improve their communication skills and teamwork
• Aid students in developing assessment skills and learning effective ways to give and receive feedback
• Use feedback to shape professional development

Instructions
IFM 1 students will complete the peer evaluation form several times during the year: 3 times during Gross Anatomy, 3 times for IFM Team-based Learning, 1 time during Microbiology, and 1 time during Physician and Patient.

1. An e-mail will be sent to the class regarding the specific evaluation and its time frame
2. This evaluation page is linked from the IFM website. The link to begin the actual evaluation is at the bottom of this page
3. Please submit within 60 minutes of begining. You must submit all of the information, however you can come back and update your evaluation until it is closed.
4. Students will see their own name and then select the names of their group members from a pull-down class list. You can add a group member if you forgot to select them when you began.
5. You will evaluate yourself AND each group member in four major areas: 1) participation, accountability, and responsibility, 2) respect for others, 3) leadership and excellence and 4) overall behavior
6. If you successfully complete the evaluation, you will receive a message saying, “Thank you for submitting your evaluation.”
7. Failure to complete the evaluation for all group members by the designated date and time will itself be viewed as unprofessional and will be reported to the Dean of Students

Sample Online Form

Use of information

1. Opportunity for positive feedback (numerical score, comments)
   
   
2. Opportunity for constructive feedback
   A. A comment should be included when you give a score of 1 or 2 on your evaluation
   B. Plan of action
     - Score(s) of 2 or below from one group member – no action (unless grievous)
     - Score(s) of 2 or below from two or more group members – the course director will bring any issues to the attention of the student and discuss ways to address them
     - Scores of 2 or below in two different courses or consistent problems in a single course will be more formally addressed
   
   
3. After all evaluations have been reviewed, the scores given by each group member will be combined, and the resulting average will be given to the student.
   A. You will be able to see your scores approximately a week after the evaluation.
   B. Students who receive marks of 1 or 2 will have a pink box associated with the number. They are encouraged to meet with the appropriate course director.
   C. Evaluations will be anonymous, and names will not be used in communications with students.
   
   
4. Students will receive a summary report at the beginning of year 2.