This Policy is to govern implementing the operational procedures to ensure patients and students’ safety in clinical settings during the delivery of MD educational program. The Policy is also intended to create a supportive learning environment with appropriate student’s supervision in the clinical settings.
Purpose: To define the responsibilities and expectations of all individuals involved in clinical
supervision of medical students. It also delineates the process of appointing clinical
supervisors, and monitoring and reporting clinical supervision activities.
1.Definitions
1.1 Direct Supervision: Is the category of supervision where the “Supervisor” should be present with the student and patient, and can visualize and direct the care of the patient.
1.2 Indirect Supervision with Direct Immediate Availability: Is the category of supervision, where the “Supervisor” is not present with student all the time but should be immediately available to provide on-site direct supervision as needed.
1.3 Supervision: The actions needed to manage and monitor the process of training of students in clinical settings.
1.4 Supervisors: Clinical tutors from SQU and affiliated hospitals who are appointed to provide clinical training to medical students. Other health professionals present in the teaching setting are also included within their scope of expertise and clinical practice.
2.Principles
2.1 All medical students engaged in patient care activities must be appropriately supervised at all times by a qualified clinical tutor.
2.2 Supervision should foster progressive responsibility and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate graded responsibility as they progress into clerkship
2.3 Students under clinical training must have prompt and reliable systems for communicating with their supervisors.
2.4 The levels of direct supervision shall vary according to the clinical task, complexity and status of each patient, and level of the Clerkship rotation (Junior Clerkship, Senior Clerkship or Pre- internship).
3.Responsibilities
Department Rotation Coordinators
3.1 To assign clinical tutors to supervise student’s clinical activities and notify students with their assigned tutor.
3.2 To determine (in concert with Department Education Committee and assigned clinical tutors) the levels of supervision required for patient interactions and clinical procedures based on potential risk incurred by the student and patient.
3.3 To ensure that the Rotation Handbook and portfolio contain information about the required level of supervision for each clinical activity related to patient care including clinical procedures.
3.4 To inform students of the expectations for their participation and supervision in patient care during rotation orientation.
3.5 To communicate procedures related to supervision to assigned clinical tutors and allied health professionals involved in patient care.
Supervisors
3.6 To manage all student-patient interactions and clinical procedures (conducted by students) as per the determined supervision measures required (cf. 6.2) based on potential risk incurred by the student and patient.
3.7 To provide students with constructive feedback related to areas of concern related to direct patient care encounters.
3.8 To delegate (if required) some relevant supervising responsibilities to any of the allied health professionals involved in patient care after ensuring they are appropriately working within the scope of their practice.
4.Monitoring and Reporting of Clinical Supervision
4.1 The clinical rotation coordinator must monitor the compliance of students and tutors with the procedures.
4.2 The clinical rotation coordinator must report any breaches or concerns with clinical tutor supervision to the departmental education committee, HOD, Phase III coordinator and ADCA as needed.
4.3 The clinical rotation coordinator must prepare a report with the department action plan and the measures to be implemented to prevent any future incidents. The report must be submitted to the phase III coordinator who then, must discuss the plan with management curriculum group.
4.4 The clinical tutors must report to the clinical rotation coordinator any breaches or concerns with student compliance to supervision procedure after being counselled by clinical rotation coordinator and/or concerned clinical tutor.
4.5 The clinical rotation coordinator must report to assistant dean for clinical affairs any concern regarding student noncompliance to the supervision procedure.
4.6 Students must report their concerns regarding supervision they received directly to Rotation Coordinator, Phase III Coordinator or through student evaluation of the rotation.
4.7 Students’ reported concerns should be discussed by Phase III Coordinator in the Curriculum Management Group and Curriculum Committee.
4.8 The Curriculum Committee should take appropriate actions. The actions will be communicated to students by the Assistant Dean for Clinical affairs.
Last updated: February 15, 2023