Psychiatry Research EG

Objectives Evaluating teachers and obtaining feedback from students is regular and vital in the quality assurance process in any institute of higher education. The objective of the present study was to explore medical students’ perception of teaching evaluation feedback. The study also explored the beliefs of medical students regarding the importance and utility of the feedback at the end of course completion. Patients and methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 192 preclinical students at Oman Medical College. The investigators used a 26-item questionnaire to assess medical students’ perceptions of teaching evaluations. Students recorded their responses on a five-point Likert scale. This questionnaire evaluated four major themes: utility of teaching evaluations by faculty members, utility of teaching evaluations by the college administration, awareness of the teaching evaluation process, and valid criteria to evaluate teachers. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results The mean age of participants in the study was 21.5 years. The reliability analysis showed an overall Cronbach’s α of 0.79. Most students felt that teachers used information from student feedbacks to improve the course (58.85%), to revise assessment and evaluation methods (54.16%), and to promote learner-centered teaching (41.65%). They were also satisfied with the opportunity to evaluate teaching staff (52.60%). They strongly felt (60.40%) that teaching evaluation should be conducted mid-term rather than at the end of the academic year. Conclusion The results of the present study provide clarity concerning the perceptions and beliefs of medical students regarding teaching evaluation process. Incorporating these results will positively affect medical education at Oman Medical College.