Providing timely, effective feedback after clinical encounters is a cornerstone of resident training. Recognizing the need for a better system, members of the Department of Internal Medicine (Manish Suneja, Jane Rowat, and Girish Mhatre) developed qUIkcoach, an innovative app designed to make feedback more immediate, targeted, and actionable.

“This user-friendly tool ensures that valuable teaching moments don’t slip away,” said Manish Suneja, MD, Vice Chair for Education and Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.

How qUIkcoach Works
Before a patient encounter, either the faculty member or trainee initiates an observation through the app, selecting specific skills to evaluate—such as Clinical Reasoning, Informed Consent, or Navigating Difficult Conversations. Afterward, the faculty member records specific feedback, highlighting strengths and actionable areas for growth.

“As a faculty member, you might have the perfect piece of feedback to share after seeing a patient together, but interruptions can easily derail the moment,” said Suneja. “With qUIkcoach, it’s as simple as pulling out your phone to capture that insight immediately,” explained Girish Mhatre, MCS.

Key Benefits of Using qUIkcoach

A Feedback Loop That Works Both Ways
qUIkcoach not only provides feedback to trainees but also enables them to evaluate the quality of the feedback they receive. Faculty members can review cumulative data on their effectiveness as evaluators, creating a continuous cycle of improvement for everyone involved. “We wanted to create a system that didn’t just support the trainee’s learning but also supported faculty development by helping faculty refine their teaching” Jane Rowat, MS, explained.

Designed for Seamless Integration
The app has been crafted for easy integration into daily routines, ensuring that feedback happens when it’s most impactful-immediately after clinical encounters. Jane Rowat emphasized this advantage: “The learner gets guidance precisely when they need it, while the experience is still fresh.”

Faculty and Trainees Are on Board
Faculty members have embraced this tool and have noticed the ease of giving feedback using qUIkcoach. “qUIkcoach helps me provide just-in-time feedback based on direct observation that trainees can immediately act on,” Krista Johnson, MD, teaching faculty and a residency associate program director, said.

Residents have also recognized the app’s practical benefits. “I love the instant feedback,” said one resident. “It’s not just fast—it’s more relevant. I’m already seeing how it’s helping me improve in real time.”

Direct Observation Requirement
Each year the residents are required by the residency program to have at least 4 direct observations to get feedback on their clinical skills. The qUIkcoach makes it feasible for the program and the trainees to capture workplace-based feedback on core clinical skills.

Available Now with Download Instructions
qUIkcoach is available for iPhone, Android and as a web-based application on your computer. Faculty and trainees can download it today and start enhancing their clinical learning and teaching experiences.

For iPhone users, download the app directly from Apple (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quikcoach/id1520214817).

For Android users, the link is: https://webapps1.healthcare.uiowa.edu/QuikCoach. If you are viewing this on your phone, you can click on the link and follow the directions below to login and to add the qUIkcoach web application to your home screen.

To Learn More
A recent publication from Suneja, Rowat, and Mhatre in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education highlights the design and logistic of this app: Mobile Application to Improve Just-in-Time 2-Way Formative Feedback in Graduate Medical Education – PMC