Exploration the Role of a Clinical Supervisor to Improve the Professional Skills of Medical Students in IRAN: A Content Analyze Study

Background: Clinical supervision is a supporter for learners and paves the way for effective and efficient learning in clinical settings. This study aimed to explain the responsibilities of clinical supervisors in clinical education wards to improve the professional skills of medical students. Methods: : In this qualitative study, we used the conventional content analysis approach. The sample consisted of 16 faculty members of Iranian universities of medical sciences and medical graduates. Purposeful sampling and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The Granheim and Landman method (2004) was used to analyze the data. Results: From the analysis of interviews, 2 themes, 8 categories, and 18 subcategories were obtained. "Clinical supervisor responsibilities” as a theme includes the categories: “Creating motivation in learner”, “Learner's need recognition”, “Performance evaluation”, “Creating learning opportunities”, and “Professional ethics education”. And, the sub-categories were: “Creating a supportive atmosphere”, “Task assignment” ,”Understanding training needs”, “Understanding individual needs”, “Periodic evaluation”, “Proper feedback’, “Reduce work stress”, “Learner engagement’ , “Learning Facilitation”, “Attention to the patient's treatment”, and “Ethical observance in relation to patients”. As the second theme "Clinical supervisor characteristics” included the categories of: “Scientific competence”, “Leading role”, and “Ethical model”. Their sub-categories are clustered as: “Knowledge of educational concepts”, “Mastery of professional concepts”, “Effective communication skills”, “Understanding managerial concepts”, “High resilience”, “Career commitment “, and “ social commitment ”. Conclusions: The clinical supervisor will improve the professional skills of medical students, which will improve the quality of services provided, train efficient graduates, and provide a safe and relaxing environment that leads to patient satisfaction.