Supervision: ‘a random bag of arrangements’? Perspectives from psychiatrists on how to improve clinical teaching

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of this study was to explore psychiatrists’ perspectives on how clinical teaching and supervision can be improved in postgraduate psychiatric training.

Method:

All New Zealand members of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (fellows: n=367; affiliates: n=167) were invited to participate in an online survey that collected responses to two open-ended questions. The responses were then analysed qualitatively.

Results:

A total of 27% psychiatrists responded. Two major themes emerged: supervisor competencies and the workplace educational environment, with subthemes of supervisor training, feedback and culture change.

Conclusions:

Suggestions to improve clinical teaching and supervision included defining supervisor teaching competencies, instituting evidence-based faculty development, a feedback structure and strengthening leadership support for workplace-based education.

Keywords

postgraduate training psychiatry teaching competence educational environment faculty development

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