C3PO as a Companion to R2C2 for Feedback

Dear Dr. Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Graduate Medical Education (JGME):

We respectfully submit this letter in the spirit of levity but from a scholarly galaxy not too far away—with Yoda (You Only Do Academia) as our mentor.

We read the recent article in the JGME on an evidence-based feedback model by Sargeant et al¹ with great interest. And yet, our own feedback is that no R2C2 (relationship, reaction, content, coaching) model is complete without clarifying competency-related goals, providing constructive comments, avoiding criticism, building partnerships, and emphasizing the open-minded ongoing use of . . . the Force.

We present C3PO as a companion to the R2C2 model:

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  Clarifying competency-based goals

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  Constructive comments

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  Criticism is to be avoided (don't go over to the dark side)

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  Partner in your mission

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  Open-mindedness (and ongoing use of the Force)

May the force of feedback be with you.

—Terry Kind, MD, MPH, and Dewesh Agrawal, MD