What do radiology trainees want from an educational supervisor

Purpose The purposes of this study were to:  – Evaluate the experience of educational supervision amongst radiology trainees  – Determine what radiology trainees want from an educational supervisor. Methods and materials Following a pilot survey in one region, a mixture of qualitative and quantitative questions on educational supervision were incorporated into the national radiology trainee survey organised by The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) Junior Radiologists Forum (JRF). Results Of the 1222 radiology trainees in the UK 611 (50%) completed the survey. Of the respondents, 79% reported the quality of educational supervision to be good or better. The most commonly encountered problems with an educational supervisor were difficulty arranging meetings and lack of knowledge of the ePortfolio system. A majority of trainees would prefer a model of one educational supervisor for core training (Years 1–3) and a different supervisor for special interest training (Years 4–5). Knowledge of the curriculum and competency with NHS ePortfolio were rated as the most important skills required to be an educational supervisor. When asked, 26% of trainees reported that they already have a mentor and 54% would be interested in a mentor. Conclusion Most trainees are satisfied with the quality of their educational supervision. Despite this, trainees report various difficulties with their educational supervisor. Trainees want an educational supervisor that is engaged in the process, has a good knowledge of the curriculum and is competent at using the ePortfolio.