Adapting the supervisory relationship measure for general medical practice

The relationship between general practice (GP) supervisors and registrars is a critical component in effective training for the next generation of medical practitioners. Despite the importance of the relational aspect of clinical education, most evaluation has traditionally occurred from the perspective of the registrar only. As such, no validated tools exist to measure the quality of the supervisory relationship from the perspective of the supervisor. This paper presents an adaptation and validation of the clinical psychology supervisory relationship measure (Pearce et al, Br J Clin Psychol 52:249-68, 2013) for GP supervisors in an Australian context.

Following an Expert Group review and adaptation of the items, 338 GP supervisors completed the adapted tool.

Using principal components analysis and Procrustes confirmatory rotation, an optimal three-component model of supervisory relationship was identified, reflecting measures of Safe base (α = .96), Supervisor investment (α = .85), and Registrar professionalism (α = .94).

The general practice supervisory relationship measure (GP-SRM) demonstrated excellent model fit, high internal consistency, and was theoretically consistent with the original tool. Implications for clinical education and future research are presented.