Helping Learners Receive Feedback in the Emergency Department

Feedback is essential to professional development in emergency medicine, yet its impact hinges on the learner's ability to receive and apply it—an often-overlooked element of the feedback equation. In the high-acuity, time-pressured setting of the ED, creating conditions for meaningful feedback reception can be particularly challenging. This EM Download reframes feedback through the lens of the educational alliance and highlights key strategies to foster learner receptivity: cultivating trust, promoting active learning, recognizing appropriate timing, and nurturing a growth mindset. Using practical examples and the “Ask-Tell-Ask” model, this piece offers evidence-informed guidance for building a feedback culture that empowers learners and strengthens clinical education in the ED.