Perspectives and Challenges Encountered by Community Medicine Faculty in Implementing Formative Assessment: A Mixed-methods Study

Background: Formative assessment (FA) is conducted to identify and address errors and enhance progress in an ongoing course. It enables students to set and achieve immediate objectives, provides clarity on tasks to be accomplished, and offers feedback on the learning process. However, several obstacles hinder the broader adoption of FA in medical education, including inadequate faculty training, a lack of student interest, and time constraints. Objectives: To describe the perspectives and current practices on FA among community medicine faculty in India, and to explore the challenges faced and solutions suggested by the faculty in implementing FA. Materials and Methods: A sequential mixed-methods study was conducted among community medicine faculty in India. An online survey was administered to 113 faculty members through social media platforms using a pretested questionnaire. This was followed by eight key informant interviews with experts in the community medicine faculty who were experts in medical education. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. Results: Out of 113 participants, 49.6% conducted FAs regularly, and 45.1% provided feedback to students. However, 50.4% had not attended any Faculty Development Program (FDP) related to FA. Common challenges included students’ lack of interest, insufficient faculty training, heavy workload, and time constraints. Suggested solutions included motivating students and staff, conducting FDPs, allocating more time for FA, and utilizing innovative tools such as Kahoot and Quizizz. Conclusion: FA is crucial for student learning, but its implementation presents several challenges. Proper planning, FDPs, and innovative approaches can overcome these barriers.