Student feedback continues to be a key driver of positive change here at the School. The MBChB Quality Assurance Team gives a taste of the insights and action areas that have emerged from student evaluations this academic year.
Student doctors have the opportunity to provide feedback on their learning experience, both in the classroom and out on clinical placement. Read about key points and actions on placement feedback on the student intranet (link).
Within the Quality Team, Suzie Wood is the Data Analyst responsible for clinical evaluation, while Analyst Kate Silvera-Cull focuses on theory, i.e. University teaching – ensuring all areas of student satisfaction are monitored.
Every time a student completes an evaluation survey, their name is entered into a prize draw for a £50 Amazon voucher for one winner per year group each term. Year One Student Doctor Ellen Angel was amongst the winners last term.
Being asked for feedback on the delivery and content of our course shows me that the School cares about our opinions and wants to give us the best experience through reflection and evaluation.
Reflecting on her first year of studies, Ellen chooses a Health in the Community Placement has her biggest highlight, where students got the chance to spend time at a third-sector setting that provides care, advice, and support to people in the local community.
“The best thing about this year has been the Community placement, which reminded me why I chose Medicine. My placement was with The Brain Charity, and it was so interesting to hear individuals share their experience within the NHS.”
Student feedback in numbers
Back in January, the Quality Team gave a mid-year glimpse into the feedback and resulting actions, powered by the student voice. So how do things look as we reach the end of this academic year?
- 201 EvaSys surveys processed across both theory and clinical evaluation.
- 4600 student comments analysed in relation to system block and academic week content and delivery.
- 3400 student comments analysed in relation to clinical placement.
- 26 actions generated to implement from University teaching evaluation.
- 89 items identified and shared with Trusts and GP practices for action.
Students have the opportunity to share their experience of classroom teaching via EvaSys surveys, including organisation, clarity of learning objectives and accessibility of learning materials. Students also evaluate their clinical placements, which the Quality team analyses and provides as an average score to each Trust and individual specialty.
Quality Systems Analyst Kate Silvera-Cull explains, “Poll Everywhere is also used to capture feedback on pre-recorded lectures, case-based learning, theme workshops and Community Clinical Teaching (CCT) sessions.
For first and second year, Poll Everywhere is used to target a selection of lectures per system block, allowing the team to gain a useful volume of qualitative data without placing an undue evaluation burden on students.
In years three and four, all lectures are evaluated.”
A huge amount of work also goes into evaluating clinical placements to ensure students are receiving the best experience possible. Evaluation responses are sent to Trusts after each rotation and the Quality Team also uses your feedback to inform a schedule of Quality Review Visits to Trusts, which happen throughout the year. In these, the senior School team reviews evidence on the delivery of your education from the Trust, as compared with School and national standards, and discusses this and your feedback with the senior Trust management team, before issuing a report and any necessary recommendations and requirements for action.
Student feedback in action
Kate Silvera-Cull shares how student input has already influenced change in a number of Trusts this year.
“Southport & Ormskirk will now provide transport for students in direct response to your feedback.
At Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, your feedback from 20-21 resulted in a £650k facilities investment by the Trust.
Their evaluation score for facilities has soared from -0.27 to 1.83 (-2 to 2 scale) and we often receive excellent comments about the fantastic facilities on offer.”
Other key implementations already in action this academic year include enhancements to the Pre-Placement Primer Sessions for Years 3 and 4. Students found these extremely useful in their preparation for placement, but a little difficult to retain focus over Zoom. These will include more breaks in the online sessions for the remainder of the year, and will run in person next year.
Q&A sessions with Clinical Specialty Leads were set up during Academic Weeks for Year Three, providing students with an additional opportunity to put their questions to subject matter experts.
Also for Year Three students, Top Tips resources, originally created by clinicians during the pandemic as an additional clinical learning material, were made available via the virtual learning environment, Canvas.
Thanks to feedback from Year One students, specific Study Tips were created to boost understanding on how to relate learning outcomes to expectations and how best to approach end of block assessments. A dedicated session showcased all of the resources available on digital anatomy and where students could access these.
Winners of the Payback for Feedback prize draw for each term are announced in the student bulletin. Every evaluation survey you complete means one more entry into the draw for a £50 Amazon voucher.
Discover more
- Full details of clinical placement implementations are available on the You Said, We Listened section of the student intranet (link).
- Liverpool Student Doctors can learn more about quality assurance at the School on the Quality area of the student intranet (link).
- Read more about the Quality Team and other implementations they have facilitated this year in this School news story (link).