Exploring feedback literacy in the training of health professionals: a qualitative study

Introduction: Feedback is recognized as a process in which students make sense of information from various sources and use it to improve performance. Several studies have shown dissatisfaction from students about this process, which could mean there is no conceptual consensus about this process.Feedback literacy refers to the understanding and capacities to make sense of the information received and use it to improve performance, which is considered essential for an effective feedback process. Despite its importance, the implications that student feedback literacy has in teaching and course design have not been sufficiently taken into account, and uncertainty persists about engaging them effectively, especially in clinical settings. Methodology: Cross-sectional study with a pragmatic approach and qualitative methods. First and fourth-year students from health-related careers at the Pontificia Universidad Cat & oacute;lica de Chile were invited to participate. Six focus groups were organized, and thematic analysis was used. Results: Three themes guided the findings. Differences exist between first- and fourth-year students regarding their capacity to recognize feedback instances and how they make sense of their experiences with this educational strategy. Students perceive feedback as a one-way process. Higher-level students recognize more instances of feedback. Conclusions: Understanding students' feedback literacy will enable future educational interventions on feedback processes in Health Sciences.