Making the Subjective, Objective? Standardized Patients' Views on Feedback and Assessment of Medical Trainees' Communication

• In Event: Examining Contemporary Assessment Strategies in Professions Education

Abstract

Standardized patient (SP) feedback constitutes a key mechanism through which medical students are socialized about and assessed on patient interaction. SPs often rely on checklists to provide a standardized format for evaluating performances, yet little is known about how SPs actually make their decisions about ratings. This is of particular interest since some medical communication, such as displaying empathy, relies upon subjective feelings experienced by the SPs. We draw on qualitative interviews with 27 SPs to explore how SPs navigate and engage with standardized forms of evaluation and assessment. Overall, we found that SPs generally view standardization in feedback as important, beneficial, and key for objectivity. At the same time, they push back on this sort of standardization in assessment.

Authors

• Laura Ellen Hirshfield, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Katharine McCabe, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Kelly Underman, Drexel University