Feedback for Learning, Equity, & eXcellence (FLEX), a three-session faculty development pilot series at WashU Medicine, successfully graduated its first cohort this summer.
FLEX is designed for faculty to engage in a unique, individually tailored approach to enhancing belonging, assessment, and delivering equitable feedback in the clinical learning environment. The curriculum was built by an interprofessional team of students, residents, nurses, educators, faculty, and experts at WashU Medicine.
The FLEX curriculum includes small and large group discussions; narrative testimonies from actual WashU learners, which the group reviews and reflects on together; and simulated attending round video clips starring committed medical educator Alex Thomas, MD, from Hospital Medicine and several WashU Medicine trainees. Led by the project’s PI’s Abby Spencer, MD, MS, FACP, and Jan Hanson, PhD, EdS, MH, and co-facilitated with ODEI’s Erin Stampp, MPP, course sessions prompted valuable discussions and reflections about participant experiences with delivering and receiving feedback.
“Through this 3-session series, we aim to provide a safe space to engage peers and colleagues in honest conversations about providing equitable feedback to learners,” said Spencer, who is vice chair for education in the Department of Medicine. “Our curriculum is also built to foster sustainable growth through interim self-reflective activities between sessions.”
Participants received a FLEX journal at the first session, along with reflection prompts after each session to journal individually. Course participants were also asked to meet with accountability partners from the course to discuss their reflections, new awarenesses, and what changes or tweaks to their assessment or feedback practices they’ve made since the last session.
FLEX participants included:
- Erin Baum, MD
- Ellen Binder, MD
- Monique Bruinsma, MD
- Dennis Chang, MD
- Kelsey Chow, MD
- Edward Daniel, MD, PhD
- Thomas Hoyt, MD
- Marty Kerrigan, MD
- Nikita Melnikov, MD
- Mirjana Petrovic Elbaz, MD
- David Zhang, MD
- Lisa Zickhur, MD, MHPE
The ultimate goal of FLEX is to build trust with learners by enhancing trainee access to equitable assessment and feedback in the clinical learning environment, starting with IM inpatient medicine rotations.
FLEX is a grant-funded faculty development series developed as part of the ABIM/ACP/AAIM/Moore Foundation Building Trust Through Health Care Equity, Inclusion and Diagnostic Excellence in Internal Medicine Training grant.