Image supplied by the University of Melbourne
While it is generally accepted that supervising clinical learners is an important and necessary part of the work lives of most health practitioners, many do not relish this component of their role.
Some lack confidence in their teaching skills. Some don’t feel they have the time necessary to provide an optimum learning environment while balancing the needs of their patients. And others feel unsure about how to deal with challenging trainees.
Melbourne Medical School’s Professor Stephen Trumble wants to change this perception, and so he developed a new online course in clinical supervision.
This new online course offered by the University of Melbourne is aimed at busy clinicians who want to become more constructive – and productive – clinical supervisors. The course is suited to doctors, dentists, nurses and allied health professionals in teaching roles and anyone who supervises trainees in a health care setting.
Professor Trumble says, “Sometimes these courses are a bit of a ‘tick the box’ exercise. What we’re trying to do here is present some really useful skills that people can use to make their jobs more enjoyable.”
Drawing upon Melbourne Medical School’s popular award courses in clinical education, the course is suitable for any medical professional who supervises learners, from doctors to allied health workers, and even vets.
As well as covering the principles of effective clinical supervision, the course provides practical resources and techniques to support supervisors. It outlines how to balance the needs of the trainee with those of the patient, and how to provide feedback to trainees in a way that improves performance.
The online course includes example case studies, entertaining and informative videos, and interactive quizzes that will help maximise the learning experience.
“The ultimate positive evaluation of a course like this is if someone says, ‘I now look forward to working with challenging trainees, because I can actually test my skills, and do something about it’”, says Professor Trumble.
According to him, the aim of the course is to help supervisors lift trainees to a level where they can take on more work, freeing up more time for the supervisor.
“Because this course has been developed by practising clinicians, we understand the challenges, and we’re putting forward solutions to make life easier for everyone,” he says.
“What we’re proposing are skills and techniques to make supervision not only effective, but efficient. If you do the course, you’ll be better at what you do, so it’s worth doing because it will give you more time with your patients while getting better outcomes for your learners.”
The online format provides complete flexibility for time-poor clinicians who would otherwise have trouble coming to a face-to-face session.
The course can be completed in around six hours, done in blocks as time permits, and students can complete it wherever and whenever they like, using the eLearning Education app on a mobile device or a web browser.
“For health professionals, particularly doctors, it’s not about the money, it’s about the time. This is a practical, applied course, and we guarantee we won’t waste your time,” says Professor Trumble.
The Clinical Supervision Online Course is accredited by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and meets the requirement for 2017 – 2019 triennium, which is a Category 1 which will earn students 40 points for the QI&CPD program. For those who are based in rural and remote areas, this course is also accredited by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and meets the requirement for 2017 – 2019 triennium, which is 10 PDP points program.
The course is available for enrollment now through The University of Melbourne Mobile Learning Unit.