Supervision--growing and building a sustainable general practice supervisor system

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Primary Care Training
• Health Workforce Development

Background:

• General practitioner (GP) supervisors are crucial for training Australia's future GP workforce.
• Current models of vocational training supervision face challenges in recruitment, retention, and motivation of GP teachers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore various models and ideas for sustainable general practice vocational training supervision in Australia.
• To identify strategies for recruiting, retaining, and motivating GP teachers.
• To consider the development of newer practice-based teaching methods.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of existing and novel models for GP vocational training supervision.
• Discussion of strategies for GP teacher recruitment, retention, and career path development.
• Consideration of innovative teaching methods such as vertically integrated teaching, e-learning, and remote teaching.

Main Results:

• Identified the centrality of the GP supervisor in clinical settings.
• Discussed the need for strategies to recruit, retain, and motivate GP teachers.
• Highlighted various innovative practice-based teaching methods for further development.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable general practice vocational training supervision requires attention to GP teacher support, resourcing, and infrastructure.
• Further research is needed to sustain and enhance the practice-based general practice supervision model.
• Innovative teaching approaches and career pathways are essential for the future GP workforce.