Formative assessment and feedback in medical education: A practical guide: AMEE Guide No. 189

Formative assessment and feedback are foundational to effective medical education, shaping not only what students learn but how they learn and improve over time. As healthcare education increasingly emphasizes competence, adaptability, and lifelong learning, the strategic use of formative practices becomes essential for fostering reflective, skilled, and responsive professionals. Despite the recognized importance of these tools, implementation often remains fragmented or overly reliant on traditional summative structures. This guide responds to that gap by offering evidence-based, practically grounded guidelines for integrating formative assessment and feedback across medical education contexts. Drawing from both the medical and broader educational literature, we present a coherent framework that includes key elements such as continuous assessment, alignment with learning objectives, inclusivity, validity, timeliness, peer and self-assessment, and technology-enabled feedback. By addressing persistent challenges and illustrating principles with real-world examples, this paper provides educators with actionable strategies to enhance learning and improve assessment literacy within clinical and academic environments.