Encouragement: giving "heart" to our learners in a competency-based education model.

(Fam Med 2007;39(1):13-5.) Editor’s Note: In this month’s column, Hershey Bell, MD, of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine discusses the importance of giving formative feedback to learners. He proposes a mnemonic FED to remind us of the appropriate content (feedback and direction) and an effective manner of communication (encouragement). I welcome your comments about this feature, which is also published on the STFM Web site at www. stfm.org. I also encourage all predoctoral directors to make copies of this feature and distribute it to their preceptors (with the appropriate Family Medicine citation). Send your submissions to williamh@bcm. tmc.edu. William Huang, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, 3701 Kirby, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77098-3926. 713-798-6271. Fax: 713-798-7789. Submissions should be no longer than 3–4 double-spaced pages. References can be used but are not required. Count each table or figure as one page of text.