MCQ Quiz: Team Debriefing

In professional programs like the Pharm.D. curriculum, developing strong teamwork and communication skills is just as critical as learning clinical knowledge. Team debriefing is a structured, reflective process designed to achieve this. It is more than just a casual meeting; it is a dedicated time for a team to analyze its performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and create actionable plans for improvement. As a recurring component of the Personal and Professional Development series, these debriefing sessions help students cultivate essential attributes like self-awareness, leadership, and effective interprofessional collaboration. This quiz will test your understanding of the purpose, process, and importance of team debriefing as outlined in the curriculum.

1. According to the PPD syllabi, Team Debriefing is a recurring activity designed to improve which of the following skills?

• a) Pharmacokinetic calculations
• b) Sterile compounding technique
• c) Teamwork and interprofessional collaboration
• d) Medication dispensing accuracy

Answer: c) Teamwork and interprofessional collaboration

2. The team debriefing process described in the PPD course syllabi consistently involves what two components?

• a) A pre-quiz and a post-quiz.
• b) A lecture and a final exam.
• c) An individual assignment and a team assignment/session.
• d) A research paper and an oral presentation.

Answer: c) An individual assignment and a team assignment/session.

3. In which course series are Team Debriefing assignments a mandatory and graded component?

• a) Patient Care
• b) Principles of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology
• c) Personal and Professional Development (PPD)
• d) Professional Practice Skills Laboratory

Answer: c) Personal and Professional Development (PPD)

4. What is the likely purpose of the “individual assignment” portion of a team debriefing?

• a) To allow each student to privately reflect on team dynamics before the group discussion.
• b) To assign a grade based on individual clinical knowledge.
• c) To create a team contract for the first time.
• d) To test students on the course syllabus.

Answer: a) To allow each student to privately reflect on team dynamics before the group discussion.

5. The team debriefing activity directly supports the development of which pharmacist attribute mentioned in the PPD course objectives?

• a) Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• b) Self-awareness
• c) Communication
• d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

6. A student team is having trouble meeting deadlines. The team debriefing session would be an appropriate time to:

• a) Assign blame to a single team member.
• b) Ignore the problem and hope it resolves itself.
• c) Constructively discuss the workflow, identify barriers, and create a new plan.
• d) Ask the professor to dissolve the team.

Answer: c) Constructively discuss the workflow, identify barriers, and create a new plan.

7. Based on the PPD course objectives, participating effectively in a team debriefing helps students prepare to:

• a) Pass the pharmacy law exam.
• b) Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team in a real-world setting.
• c) Manage pharmacy inventory.
• d) Compound sterile preparations.

Answer: b) Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team in a real-world setting.

8. True or False: According to the PPD syllabi, team debriefing assignments are optional activities for extra credit.

• a) True
• b) False

Answer: b) False

9. The focus on giving and receiving peer feedback during a debriefing session aligns with the PPD 3 module on:

• a) Leadership
• b) Giving Effective Feedback/Difficult Conversations
• c) Career Planning
• d) Political Advocacy

Answer: b) Giving Effective Feedback/Difficult Conversations

10. A successful team debriefing session should result in:

• a) A clear understanding of what went well and what can be improved.
• b) Actionable steps for the team to implement in future projects.
• c) Increased self-awareness for individual team members.
• d) All of the above.

Answer: d) All of the above.

11. The PPD 1 syllabus lists “participate effectively as an interprofessional team member” as a course objective. How does team debriefing support this?

• a) By forcing students to work alone on the individual assignment.
• b) By providing a structured process to practice and improve team interaction skills.
• c) By focusing solely on clinical knowledge.
• d) It does not support this objective.

Answer: b) By providing a structured process to practice and improve team interaction skills.

12. When a conflict arises between two team members, a team debriefing should be a venue to:

• a) Have the rest of the team take sides.
• b) Avoid the topic entirely.
• c) Facilitate a professional and respectful discussion to understand different perspectives and find a resolution.
• d) Report the conflict to the Dean of Student Affairs.

Answer: c) Facilitate a professional and respectful discussion to understand different perspectives and find a resolution.

13. The PPD 4 syllabus pairs a team debriefing with what other professional development activity?

• a) A sterile compounding lab.
• b) A CV workshop.
• c) An exam on medicinal chemistry.
• d) A lecture on pharmacokinetics.

Answer: b) A CV workshop.

14. A key component of self-awareness, which is a focus of the PPD courses, is the ability to:

• a) Accurately assess one’s own performance and behavior within a team.
• b) Know all the top 200 drugs from memory.
• c) Ignore feedback from others.
• d) Always take on the leadership role.

Answer: a) Accurately assess one’s own performance and behavior within a team.

15. The “team assignment” portion of a debriefing requires students to:

• a) Work in isolation.
• b) Submit their individual thoughts without discussion.
• c) Collaborate to produce a single, unified summary or plan.
• d) Take another quiz.

Answer: c) Collaborate to produce a single, unified summary or plan.

16. Which of the following is NOT a goal of team debriefing?

• a) To improve team effectiveness.
• b) To identify and resolve process issues.
• c) To determine which team member is the most intelligent.
• d) To enhance communication among team members.

Answer: c) To determine which team member is the most intelligent.

17. The PPD syllabi indicate that team debriefings occur multiple times throughout the year. This recurring nature suggests that:

• a) Teams are expected to continuously improve over time.
• b) The first debriefing is the only one that matters.
• c) The same problems are expected to persist without resolution.
• d) It is a punishment for poor team performance on exams.

Answer: a) Teams are expected to continuously improve over time.

18. A pharmacist attribute that is directly practiced during a team debriefing is “Communicator,” which involves:

• a) Expressing ideas clearly.
• b) Listening attentively to others.
• c) Providing constructive feedback.
• d) All of the above.

Answer: d) All of the above.

19. Failure to complete Team Evaluations, which often inform debriefing sessions, can result in what action according to the PPD 3 syllabus?

• a) A verbal warning.
• b) A Professionalism Lapse.
• c) A 5-point deduction.
• d) Nothing, as they are optional.

Answer: b) A Professionalism Lapse.

20. A student who comes to a team debriefing session unprepared, having not completed the individual reflection, is failing to display which professional attribute?

• a) Preparation and accountability.
• b) Innovation.
• c) Financial literacy.
• d) Clinical knowledge.

Answer: a) Preparation and accountability.

21. The structure of the debriefing (individual reflection followed by group discussion) encourages:

• a) Groupthink, where everyone just agrees with the first person to speak.
• b) Introverted students to remain silent.
• c) A more thoughtful and inclusive discussion, as all members have had time to form their own thoughts first.
• d) A focus on assigning blame rather than solving problems.

Answer: c) A more thoughtful and inclusive discussion, as all members have had time to form their own thoughts first.

22. Discussing the team’s performance on a project like the “Innovative Idea” presentation (from PPD 6) during a debriefing would be an opportunity to:

• a) Review the clinical accuracy of the project.
• b) Analyze the team’s collaborative process, including how ideas were generated and decisions were made.
• c) Assign a final grade to the project.
• d) Argue about the topic that was chosen.

Answer: b) Analyze the team’s collaborative process, including how ideas were generated and decisions were made.

23. The PPD courses are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Satisfactory completion of the team debriefing assignments is:

• a) Optional but recommended.
• b) Required for a grade of Satisfactory in the course.
• c) Only required if the team is performing poorly.
• d) A way to earn extra credit.

Answer: b) Required for a grade of Satisfactory in the course.

24. The skills practiced in team debriefing are most applicable to which real-world pharmacy setting?

• a) Working alone as an independent consultant.
• b) Any practice setting that involves working with other pharmacists, technicians, nurses, and physicians.
• c) A research laboratory setting only.
• d) An automated dispensing facility.

Answer: b) Any practice setting that involves working with other pharmacists, technicians, nurses, and physicians.

25. A good ground rule for a team debriefing session would be:

• a) The person who talks the loudest is correct.
• b) Only the team leader is allowed to speak.
• c) All feedback should be respectful and focused on behaviors and processes, not on personal attacks.
• d) Cell phones should be used throughout the meeting.

Answer: c) All feedback should be respectful and focused on behaviors and processes, not on personal attacks.

26. Reflecting on a team’s adherence to its “Team Contract” would be a relevant activity during a:

• a) Medicinal chemistry lecture.
• b) Final exam.
• c) Team debriefing session.
• d) Compounding lab.

Answer: c) Team debriefing session.

27. The debriefing process helps students learn to separate the outcome of a project (e.g., the grade) from the process the team used. This distinction is important because:

• a) A good process can lead to a poor outcome, and vice versa, and both should be analyzed for learning.
• b) The process is irrelevant if the outcome was good.
• c) The outcome is irrelevant if the process was good.
• d) Grades are the only thing that matters.

Answer: a) A good process can lead to a poor outcome, and vice versa, and both should be analyzed for learning.

28. What is the role of the faculty facilitator during an in-class team debriefing session?

• a) To provide all the answers and solutions.
• b) To assign a letter grade to the team’s performance.
• c) To guide the discussion, ensure it remains productive and professional, and help the team reflect.
• d) To sit silently and not participate.

Answer: c) To guide the discussion, ensure it remains productive and professional, and help the team reflect.

29. A student who consistently dominates the conversation during team meetings is identified as a challenge during a debriefing. A constructive plan would be to:

• a) Ask that student to leave the team.
• b) Agree to a process where each member is given dedicated time to speak without interruption.
• c) Have the other members stop participating.
• d) Report the student for unprofessional behavior.

Answer: b) Agree to a process where each member is given dedicated time to speak without interruption.

30. The skills learned in team debriefing align with which EPA (Entrustable Professional Activity)?

• a) Fulfill a medication order.
• b) Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team.
• c) Answer medication related questions using scientific literature.
• d) Perform the technical, administrative, and supporting operations of a pharmacy practice site.

Answer: b) Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team.

31. The focus on “self-awareness” in PPD means that during a debriefing, a student should be thinking:

• a) “What did everyone else do wrong?”
• b) “How can I make sure my idea is chosen next time?”
• c) “What was my specific contribution to the team’s success or challenges?”
• d) “This activity is not relevant to me.”

Answer: c) “What was my specific contribution to the team’s success or challenges?”

32. The PPD course series spans the first three years of the Pharm.D. program. This implies that the expectations for team debriefing likely:

• a) Decrease over time.
• b) Remain exactly the same each year.
• c) Become more complex and require a higher level of reflection as students develop.
• d) Are replaced by individual projects in the third year.

Answer: c) Become more complex and require a higher level of reflection as students develop.

33. The debriefing process is a form of:

• a) Summative assessment
• b) Didactic lecturing
• c) Reflective practice
• d) High-stakes testing

Answer: c) Reflective practice

34. A potential topic for an individual debriefing reflection might be:

• a) A summary of a recent pharmacology lecture.
• b) An assessment of how well the team communicated during the last project.
• c) A list of grievances against the course instructor.
• d) The student’s plans for the weekend.

Answer: b) An assessment of how well the team communicated during the last project.

35. If a team identifies a recurring problem during several debriefing sessions, it is a sign that:

• a) The debriefing process is not working.
• b) The team should be disbanded.
• c) The team needs to develop more effective and actionable plans to address the root cause of the problem.
• d) The problem is unsolvable.

Answer: c) The team needs to develop more effective and actionable plans to address the root cause of the problem.

36. The PPD syllabi often schedule a Team Debriefing session after a major IPE event or team project. This timing is intentional to allow for:

• a) A break from clinical work.
• b) Immediate reflection on a shared experience while it is still fresh.
• c) The team to forget what happened.
• d) The instructor to prepare a lecture on the topic.

Answer: b) Immediate reflection on a shared experience while it is still fresh.

37. True or False: Team Debriefing focuses exclusively on identifying negative aspects of a team’s performance.

• a) True
• b) False

Answer: b) False

38. Celebrating team successes and identifying what made the team successful is important during a debriefing because:

• a) It helps reinforce positive behaviors and processes.
• b) It is the only thing that should be discussed.
• c) It is not important.
• d) It makes the meeting longer.

Answer: a) It helps reinforce positive behaviors and processes.

39. A student provides feedback to a teammate during a debriefing: “You always turn your work in late.” A more constructive way to phrase this would be:

• a) “You are lazy and unreliable.”
• b) “Your lateness is going to make us fail.”
• c) “I’ve noticed that on the last two assignments, your part was submitted after the team’s agreed-upon deadline. Can we talk about what might be causing this and how we can support you?”
• d) “Why do you hate this team?”

Answer: c) “I’ve noticed that on the last two assignments, your part was submitted after the team’s agreed-upon deadline. Can we talk about what might be causing this and how we can support you?”

40. The PPD course structure, with its emphasis on teamwork and debriefing, prepares students for the reality that modern healthcare is:

• a) An individual-based profession.
• b) A team-based sport.
• c) Primarily focused on administrative tasks.
• d) Not collaborative.

Answer: b) A team-based sport.

41. Which of the following is an example of an “actionable plan” that might come from a team debriefing?

• a) “We will try to do better next time.”
• b) “For our next project, we will create a shared timeline with specific deadlines for each part and have a 5-minute check-in at the start of each lab session.”
• c) “We hope we get a better grade on the next project.”
• d) “We will just divide up the work and not talk to each other.”

Answer: b) “For our next project, we will create a shared timeline with specific deadlines for each part and have a 5-minute check-in at the start of each lab session.”

42. The “Team Evaluations” assignment is linked to the debriefing process because it:

• a) Provides anonymous, structured data that can be used to guide the debriefing discussion.
• b) Is a separate grade that has no bearing on teamwork.
• c) Replaces the need for a face-to-face debriefing.
• d) Is only for the instructor’s information.

Answer: a) Provides anonymous, structured data that can be used to guide the debriefing discussion.

43. A student who actively listens and tries to understand their teammates’ perspectives during a debriefing is demonstrating:

• a) Poor communication skills.
• b) Empathy and respect.
• c) Apathy.
• d) A fixed mindset.

Answer: b) Empathy and respect.

44. The PPD syllabi show that team debriefings are scheduled in conjunction with activities like CV workshops and career panels. This suggests that teamwork skills are considered:

• a) Less important than career skills.
• b) A core professional skill, alongside individual career development.
• c) Unrelated to career success.
• d) Only important for first-year students.

Answer: b) A core professional skill, alongside individual career development.

45. If a student is absent from a required Team Debriefing session, they:

• a) Are excused from the assignment automatically.
• b) Will likely need to complete a makeup assignment to receive credit.
• c) Will receive extra credit.
• d) Must lead the next debriefing session.

Answer: b) Will likely need to complete a makeup assignment to receive credit.

46. A “psychologically safe” environment is critical for an effective debriefing. This means:

• a) The room is physically secure.
• b) No one is allowed to disagree.
• c) Team members feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation.
• d) The discussion is recorded for later review by the Dean.

Answer: c) Team members feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation.

47. A team that uses its debriefing time to complain about the course or the instructor is:

• a) Using the time productively.
• b) Demonstrating professionalism.
• c) Missing the opportunity to reflect on and improve their own team processes.
• d) Following the instructions for the assignment.

Answer: c) Missing the opportunity to reflect on and improve their own team processes.

48. Discussing the “distribution of work” is a common and important topic for a team debriefing to ensure:

• a) One person does all the work.
• b) The workload is perceived as fair and equitable by all members.
• c) The easiest tasks are done first.
• d) The team leader does no work.

Answer: b) The workload is perceived as fair and equitable by all members.

49. The PPD curriculum’s focus on team debriefing acknowledges that in pharmacy practice, errors are often caused by:

• a) A single individual’s incompetence.
• b) System and process failures within a team.
• c) The difficulty of the clinical material.
• d) The time of day.

Answer: b) System and process failures within a team.

50. The ultimate outcome of consistent and effective team debriefing throughout the PPD curriculum should be a student who is:

• a) An expert in complaining about their teammates.
• a) A more self-aware, communicative, and collaborative future pharmacist.
• c) Unable to work independently.
• d) An expert in a single clinical topic.

Answer: a) A more self-aware, communicative, and collaborative future pharmacist.