ABSTRACT
Constructive feedback is the art of holding conversations with learners about their performance and it has two elements. It should contain enough specific detail and advice to enable the recipient to reflect on and enhance their practice and it should be positive and supportive in tone. Effective feedback has an impact not only on the teaching/learning processes but also gives messages to students about their effectiveness and worth. It is important that as well as being positive in tone we should aim to give feedback about both deficiencies and strengths. This realisation is a painful process, often referred to as ‘cognitive dissonance’, but until we become aware we cannot start the process of learning. The Standing Committee of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCOPME) appraisal model is not as simple and clear-cut as some of the others presented here but nevertheless does follow the same sort of principles in order to give feedback constructively.
