Faculty leadership and psychological safety: a qualitative evaluation of a graduate gross anatomy course redesign

Abstract

Psychological safety, the shared belief that an environment supports interpersonal risk-taking, is fundamental to engagement and learning in graduate education. This study examined student perceptions of psychological safety and faculty engagement following a redesign of a graduate-level gross anatomy course. A free-response descriptive analysis was conducted using open-ended comments from 88 students enrolled in a 13-week course in the Master of Biomedical Sciences program at Rutgers University. Evaluation responses were thematically analyzed using Moos’ framework of learning environments, emphasizing institutional support, faculty–student relationships, and peer interactions. Coding was completed by a human reviewer and verified with AI-assisted text analysis. Students consistently emphasized that faculty accessibility, mentorship, and humour contributed to a psychologically safe learning environment. Themes aligned with Moos’ framework, with faculty presence identified as the central factor linking the pillars of institutional support, relationships, and peer community. Students valued structured communication, consistency, and active learning strategies, particularly team-based learning that fostered belonging and collaborative accountability. Findings indicate that intentional faculty engagement and communication play essential roles in shaping psychologically safe environments in graduate education. Leadership characterized by approachability, structured support, and relational responsiveness enhances confidence, belonging, and meaningful learning outcomes for graduate students.