Table 4 Themes, subthemes and example quotes
Themes | Sub-theme | Example quote |
|---|---|---|
Theme 1: Promoting Feedback | Using EPA requires the supervisor to give feedback | It says, for example, about what the student can do to increase their independence and then about the student having a plan how to achieve that. The possibility that it can help with concrete feedback on improvement and not just sort of saying “yes about this, it went really well”. (R4) |
Clear structure for feedback | After all, it is a template so that there will be an equal evaluation for everyone. That regardless of who you are, you do an evaluation in the same way and then it becomes clearer for the candidates as well, that there is structure and clarity in being evaluated in the same way every time (R7) | |
The student needs to actively seek feedback | If you have a form you have to fill out or an app you must submit to be approved, then the student is forced to search for more feedback and the supervisors are forced to give it, so I think it is an advantage to have all different kinds of these forms. (R8) | |
Theme 2: Trusting Assessments | Structured assessment of level of independence | It is also good to talk about it together so that both the student and the supervisor agree on what level of independence the student is at, so that it does not happen that a given task feels too difficult or too easy /…/ it is simply like a quality control, that the person views the goals, that it is not only theoretical, but that it is still our task with the clinical rotation to see that the practical parts also work. (R2) |
The observation rating scale as an assessment | If you look at several assessments from a more meta-perspective as an examiner or if you look at several assessments and combine them then it could be an advantage to have a scale, but in the individual situation, I probably think that what for me feels like the most important feedback is the one where we are actually talking about it and maybe not the actual number. (R6) | |
Trusting the entrustability assessment | If the department calls about a patient whose circulation is failing, for example, you could then let them go initially, if they have assessed that type of patient before and if the students perform the activity themselves as level 5 [with the supervisor nearby], then you could let them go and do that assessment themselves initially. (R1) | |
Theme 3: Engaging Stakeholders | Preparing the supervisor | It is enough that there is a piece of paper or a website with a list on it, it does not need to say more, the student must be able to perform a rectoscopy, the student must be able to insert a NG-tube. (R9) |
EPA as a tool for all clinical supervisors | If you just use EPA a lot then there is no difficulty in introducing it. Everyone who supervises students will be able to learn this and apply EPA and make decent judgments with some dispersal, but if you only have a student at the clinic once, or a student attending the clinic once per semester or every three months, then you will not be able to manage this. (R9) | |
Teaching takes time | I also think that there is a challenge in that you actually take the time to find a space and go and actually give feedback on what you are doing if it is for example a clinical consultation or a patient examination. (R3) |