SOAP Notes for Narrative Feedback

Published on Nov 30, 2015

This presentation outlines a method to preserve your recollection of student performance so you can include specific, observable behaviors in your student assessment. SOAP notes in this context refer to Specific Observations for Assessment of Performance! Author: Karen Spear Ellinwood, PhD, JD, EdS, Director, Faculty Instructional Development, Residents as Educators Program; Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arizona College of Medicine.

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

SOAP Note

A New Kind of
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Key Concepts

  • Preserving your observations for inclusion in written assessments of student performance
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Feedback should invite learners to

Photo credits
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BOTTOM ROW
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RIGHT: Girl with a pearl earring selfie, Girl with a Pearl Earring and a Silver Camera. Digital mashup after Johannes Vermeer, attributed to Mitchell Grafton. c.2012; posted at http://www.ipadartroom.com/dont-hate-the-selfie/ listed in google images as reusable with modification.

Whether feedback is

Conversational or ...
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Written

If you want the learner to be able to...

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You need to describe

specific, relevant observable behaviors
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upon which the learner can

take action to grow & improve

But, let's be...

Cantillon P, Sargeant J, Teaching Rounds, Giving Feedback in clinical settings. BMJ; November337 (7681); 2008.

Pangaro LN. A New Vocabulary and Other Innovations for Improving Descriptive In-Training Evaluations. Academic Medicine 74:11 (November); 1999.
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Time

Can fade memory
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If the Assessment Surveys

are not open yet...
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Specific Observations for Assessing Performance

Write a different kind of SOAP Note!
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Write notes that ...

  • Describe your global impression of the student's performance
  • Explain why - Describe specific, observable behaviors, attitudes or skills that support your impression

SOAP notes can refresh your memory

And strengthen your feedback

making it ACTIONABLE!
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Keep your "SOAP" notes Secure

References

  • Cantillon P & Sergeant J. Giving Feedback in clinical settings. British Medical Journal 337:1292-94; Nov 2008. [Reflective Feedback Conversations]
  • Kogan J. How to evaluate and give feedback. In, L.W. Roberts (ed.), The Academic Medicine Handbook: A Guide to Achievement and Fulfillment for Academic Faculty. Springer:New York, pp. 91-101; 2013. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-5693-3_11.
Cantillon P, Sargeant J, Teaching Rounds, Giving Feedback in clinical settings. BMJ; November337 (7681); 2008.

Ende J. Feedback in Clinical Medical Education. JAMA 250(6); 1983.

Hewson M, Little M, Giving Feedback in Medical Education; J Gen Intern Med. 1998 February; 13(2); 1998.

Pangaro LN. A New Vocabulary and Other Innovations for Improving Descriptive In-Training Evaluations. Academic Medicine 74:11 (November); 1999.

Schön D. The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. NY:Basic Books; 1983.

Schute VJ. Focus on Formative Feedback. Review of Educational Research March 78:153-189; 2008.

Vacca RT and Vacca JL. Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum. Boston: Pearson Publishers; 2005.

Karen Spear Ellinwood, PhD, JD, EdS

Director, Faculty & Resident Instructional Development
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