Embracing the Discomfort of Giving and Receiving Feedback in Academic Medicine with Joshua Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA

This week on the Faculty Factory Podcast, author Joshua Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA, is back on the show, and we’re taking a deep dive into feedback. We discuss how to give and receive feedback more effectively—a topic that we all should strive to improve in our professional lives.

With 25 years of experience in military medicine, Dr. Hartzell is a retired army colonel as well as a practicing internist and infectious diseases physician.

Feedback is meant to be a conversation, helping each other better understand where the other individual is coming from. After all, we’re never sure what is going on in someone’s life until we ask.

How do we get better at feedback? Yes, you can read books and consume podcasts like this on it, but explicitly asking someone to give you feedback about yourself may be an even stronger starting point. Dr. Hartzell also encourages getting feedback on your feedback, as it takes practice.

"When we give people feedback, it tells them whether their performance aligns with our expectations or not; it really clarifies our expectations. I think that's really important because, without that, it's sort of left up to people to decide: 'Am I doing a good job?'" he told us.

Another crucial element surrounding this interview is the critically important notion that a lack of feedback is still a form of feedback so there are no doubt consequences of choosing silence and inaction.

Explore Resources from this Podcast

Dr. Hartzell’s first appearance on our Faculty Factory Podcast, titled “A Comprehensive Look at Developing Excellent Leadership in Medicine” can be found here:  https://facultyfactory.org/joshua-hartzell/

You can learn more about Dr. Hartzell’s book, “A Prescription for Caring in Healthcare Leadership: Building a Culture of Compassion and Excellence”, here: https://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Caring-Healthcare-Leadership-Compassion/dp/B0DSQ4276K  

Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of War.

References:

Kim Scott, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2019). 

Ende J. Feedback in clinical medical education. JAMA. 1983 Aug 12;250(6):777-81.