An encounter card system for increasing feedback to students.

Background: Student satisfaction with the feedback process is essential for motivating students to improve their performance.

Methods: Third-year medical students participated in a system to increase feedback from faculty, fellows, and residents during a 12-week surgery clerkship. Each student received 40 encounter cards to solicit verbal and written feedback on specific domains of clinical performance. The clerkship evaluations from the intervention group (Fall 2000-2001) were compared with a historical control group (Fall 1999-2000) on seven feedback-related items. Effect sizes were calculated and two-tailed t tests performed to determine statistical significance.

Results: All seven items had effect sizes greater than 0.30 (range, 0.38 to 0.85). Differences between the two groups' scores were statistically significant for six items.

Conclusions: Implementation of an encounter card system improved student satisfaction with the feedback process. Intervention group students perceived that faculty and residents had improved their understanding of history-taking, physical-examination, and decision-making skills.