Utilizing Natural Language Processing of Narrative Feedback to Develop a Predictive Model of Pre-Clerkship Performance: Lessons Learned.

A thoughtful, careful approach to using natural language processing was essential. Given the idiosyncrasies of narrative feedback in medical education, standard natural language processing packages were not adequate for predicting student outcomes. Rather, employing qualitative techniques including repeated member checking and iterative revision resulted in a useful and salient predictive model.