By Dr Fadh Yusof
Starting internship is exciting, but it can also feel intense. You are learning new hospital processes, carrying more responsibility and receiving feedback from consultants, registrars, nurses, allied health staff and patients. Some feedback will be encouraging, while some will be uncomfortable to hear. The key is learning how to take feedback on board without letting one conversation knock your confidence.
Reframing the feedback
It is normal to feel defensive, embarrassed or discouraged when you receive negative feedback, especially early in intern year when you are still building confidence.¹ This does not mean you are unprofessional; it means you are human. Once the initial reaction has passed, try to identify what is useful. Feedback may highlight something you had not noticed, because everyone has blind spots.² Even feedback that is difficult to hear at the time can become useful once you have had space to reflect.¹
Asking for clarity
Feedback is not always delivered in the most helpful way. Clinical workloads, hierarchy and time pressure can all shape how it comes across.²,³ If a comment is vague, ask for a concrete next step. A simple question such as “What could I do differently next time?” can turn broad criticism into something you can use.² If the feedback is blunt, pause before you answer so you can focus on the point being made, rather than on how it was delivered.
Putting feedback into practice
Feedback only helps if it changes what you do next. Once you have understood the feedback, turn it into something manageable. Choose one or two practical steps to try on your next shift, such as presenting patients more clearly, documenting more carefully or asking for help earlier. You do not need to fix everything at once; small adjustments, repeated consistently, can make a real difference. ²,³
Seeking support
You do not have to sit with difficult feedback alone. Talking it through with a peer, registrar, mentor or supervisor you trust can help you work out what was useful, what was poorly delivered and what you might do next.¹ Staying connected with colleagues is also one practical way junior doctors look after their wellbeing during stressful rotations.⁴
References
Griffiths L, Hilder J, Molloy E, Ryan A, Watling C. Time to make sense: doctors’ and students’ experiences of difficult feedback. Perspect Med Educ. 2025;14(1):519–530.
Algiraigri AH. Ten tips for receiving feedback effectively in clinical practice. Med Educ Online. 2014;19:25141.
Weallans J, Roberts C, Hamilton S, Parker S. Guidance for providing effective feedback in clinical supervision in postgraduate medical education: a systematic review. Postgrad Med J. 2021;97:138–149.
Hobi M, Yegorova-Lee S, Chan CCL, Zhao H, Jiang S, Tran D, et al. Strategies Australian junior doctors use to maintain their mental, physical and social well-being: a qualitative study. BMJ Open. 2022;12:e062631.
Dr Fadhullah (Fadh) Yusof is a Paediatric Registrar and Clinical Tutor at the University of Melbourne.