1.9 Supervision of Medical Students in Clinical Settings Policy

Supervisor Qualifications and Prerequisites

• UWSOM medical students must be supervised by physicians and non-physicians with a regular, clinical or affiliate faculty appointment at UWSOM or who are directly overseen in their teaching role by a physician with a UWSOM regular, clinical or affiliate faculty appointment.
• Students may also be supervised by a resident or fellow who is training in a graduate medical education program at or associated with UWSOM and who is overseen in their teaching role by a physician with a UWSOM regular, clinical or affiliate faculty appointment.
• Supervisors are expected to have the appropriate certification for their practice and specialty.
• Supervisors must know the relevant learning objectives and required clinical encounters in order to supervise medical students.
• Supervision by physicians and non-physicians must be within the scope of practice of the supervising physicians and/or non-physicians charged with supervision.
• In situations where the student interacts directly with allied health professionals (e.g., physician assistants, nurse practitioners), the supervisor and/or clerkship site director is responsible for ensuring that the allied health professional is appropriately credentialed or functioning under the supervision of a credentialed faculty member and is performing tasks that are within their scope of practice.
• The supervisor must review in advance and adhere to the UW Medicine Policy on Professional Conduct.

Delegation of Responsibility to Students

• The level of responsibility delegated to students by the supervisor must be appropriate to the student’s level of training.
• Students must be supervised at all times, with the student’s supervisor either physically present in the same room with the student and patient(s) or within a distance that permits ready availability to the student and patient(s).
• The supervisor will teach the student in such a manner that the student’s responsibilities may gradually increase as their knowledge, competence, and experience grows.

Feedback to Students about Clinical Skills and Performance

• Student’s performance will be supervised on an ongoing basis throughout the course or clerkship.
• Supervision is intended to offer ongoing constructive feedback to students while supporting a safe and effective clinical learning environment. Formative feedback is provided, at a minimum, at course/clerkship mid-points and early enough in the course/clerkship for the student to make corrections prior to summative assessment.
•  Clerkship and course directors must be notified if serious academic or professional gaps in a student’s performance exist.

Student Responsibilities Related to Supervision

• Students must have obtained the appropriate certifications to participate in clinical activities.
• Students must seek immediate assistance if faced with a medical circumstance beyond their skill level or comfort.
• Students should not perform aspects of a history, physical examination, or a procedural skill that they believe they are not yet ready for or are too fatigued to perform, even in the presence of faculty supervision.
• Students are strongly encouraged to voice any concerns about the adequacy of their clinical supervision to their residents, faculty, clerkship/course directors, clerkship site directors, Director of the Learning Environment, College mentor, the Associate Dean for Curriculum or Associate Dean for Student Affairs.