Feedback and Debriefing in Healthcare Education to Improve Communication Skills: A Large Scoping Review

Background Feedback and debriefing are crucial components of communication skills training, as they foster reflective learning and support the consolidation of core competencies. This review aims to systematically identify, map, and analyze the literature on how feedback is implemented in communication training in the context of healthcare education. Methods This scoping review follows the 5 stages of the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and ÓMalley (2005). Four online databases—MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PsycInfo via Ovid, and ISI Web of Knowledge—were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. Results 365 articles were included in the final analysis. Articles reported that communication skills training is frequently conducted in small-group settings, with participants receiving immediate post-event feedback from multiple perspectives. There was a notable lack of consistency in reporting details related to the characteristics of debriefers and standardized patients, as well as in the approaches used to guide the debriefing process. Structured, multiphase feedback methods were rarely described. Conclusions This review shows that, although the importance of feedback in communication skills training is widely acknowledged, it is rarely described in sufficient detail. A clear gap emerges between the theoretical understanding of feedback's value and characteristics and its structured implementation in practice. While there is a slight trend toward increased use of standardized feedback models, this appears unrelated to the specific setting, communication scenario, or profession.