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. 2018 Mar 14;18(1):36.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-018-1137-y.

Peer-assisted debriefing of multisource feedback: an exploratory qualitative study

Jose Francois  1 , Jeffrey Sisler  2 , Stephanie Mowat  3
Affiliations

Peer-assisted debriefing of multisource feedback: an exploratory qualitative study

Jose Francois et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: The Manitoba Physician Achievement Review (MPAR) is a 360-degree feedback assessment that physicians undergo every 7 years to retain licensure. Deliberate reflection on feedback has been demonstrated to encourage practice change. The MPAR Reflection Exercise (RE), a peer-assisted debriefing tool, was developed whereby the physician selects a peer with whom to review and reflect on feedback, committing to change. This qualitative study explores how physicians who had undergone the MPAR used the RE, what areas of change are identified and committed to, and what they perceived as the role of reflection in the MPAR process.

Methods: The MPAR RE was piloted out to a cohort of MPAR-reviewed physicians. Thematic analysis was conducted on completed exercises (n = 61). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals (n = 6) who completed the MPAR RE until saturation was reached.

Results: Physicians reviewed feedback with a range of peers, including colleagues, staff, and spouses. Many physicians were surprised by feedback, both positive and negative, but interviewees found the RE useful in processing feedback. Areas where physicians committed to change were diverse, covering all CanMEDS roles. Most physicians identified themselves as being successful in implementing change, though time, habit, and structures were cited as barriers.

Conclusions: Peer-assisted debriefing can assist reflection of multisource feedback. It is easy to implement, is not resource-intensive, and feedback implies that it is effective at promoting change. Participants, with the aid of peers, identified areas for change, developed approaches for change, and largely thought themselves successful at implementing changes. Areas of change included all seven CanMEDS roles.

Keywords: CanMEDS; Commitment to change; Multisource feedback; Peer-assisted debriefing; Reflection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by the Health Research Ethics Board at the University of Manitoba (H2013:419). Consent was not sought for secondary analysis of completed RE forms; interview participants provided written informed consent.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The multisource feedback and reflective process
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Frequency of peer relationships used in peer-assisted debriefing
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Participant commitment to change statement exemplars, organized by the CanMEDS framework
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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