Feedback delivery within a Problem Based Learning tutorial is a key activity for facilitators in order to enhance student learning. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ experiences of feedback delivery in a PBL tutorial and use this information to design a feasible facilitator feedback delivery guide. It was an exploratory qualitative study in which individual interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with students who had an experience of the tutorial process. Data were collected through audio recording and writing of field notes. Thematic analysis was employed to generate the reported themes. Students suggested that facilitators need to give comprehensive feedback on their knowledge construction process as well as feedback on other generic skills outside the knowledge domain such as their communication skills within the tutorial, their participation and team work as well as their interpersonal skills and self-evaluation abilities. From the findings, a structured facilitator feedback delivery guide was developed. In this study, we propose a structured feedback delivery guide for PBL facilitators that captures not only knowledge, but also other generic competencies. The guide is feasible in a wide range of contexts where PBL is institutionalized.

Background: Medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa have adopted competency based medical education (CBME) to improve the quality of graduates trained. In 2015, Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MaKCHS) implemented CBME for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme in order to produce doctors with the required attributes to address community health needs. However, no formal evaluation of the curriculum has been conducted to determine whether all established competencies are being assessed. Objective: To evaluate whether assessment methods within the MBChB curriculum address the stated competencies. Methods: The evaluation adopted a cross-sectional study design in which the MBChB curriculum was evaluated using an Essential Course Evidence Form (ECEF) that was developed to collect information about each assessment used for each course. Information was collected on: (1) Assessment title, (2) Description, (3) Competency domain (4) Sub-competency addressed, (5) Student instructions, and (6) Grading method/details. Data were entered into a structured Access data base. In addition, face-to-face interviews were conducted with faculty course coordinators. Results: The MBChB curriculum consisted of 62 courses over 5 years, focusing on preclinical skills in years 1–2 and clinical skills in years 3–5. Fifty-nine competencies were identified and aggregated into 9 domains. Fifty-eight competencies were assessed at least one time in the curriculum. Faculty cited limited training in assessment as well as large student numbers as hindrances to designing robust assessments for the competencies. Conclusion: CBME was successfully implemented evidenced by all but one of the 59 competencies within the nine domains established being assessed within the MBChB curriculum at MaKCHS. Faculty interviewed were largely aware of it, however indicated the need for more training in competency-based assessment to improve the implementation of CBME.

Implementing the Angoff method of standard setting using postgraduate students: Practical and affordable in resource-limited settings