Supervision

Oxford Deanery

School of Public Health

Supervision

All Public Health trainees are allocated a service trainer and an academic supervisor at the start of their training programme. The roles of which are explained below.

Service trainers

Service trainers (also known as educational supervisors) are normally a consultant in the department in which a trainee is attached to.

At the outset of an attachment, the service trainer is responsible for introducing new trainees to the department/district/region by organising a planned induction programme.

The service trainer is responsible for agreeing a programme of work with a trainee, which reflects the previous experience; training needs; local opportunities; and special interests of the trainee. As such, it is expected that the service trainer and trainee agree what competencies would be covered during the training period, and what evidence will be expected to be produced before a competency is signed off as completed. Other individuals may supervise particular pieces of work (project supervisors) during a training attachment. However, the training programme policy is that work should not be allocated to, or accepted by a trainee, without the service trainer’s knowledge and agreement, in order to ensure that the work fits into the overall training scheme.

As part of the role, service trainers need to be accessible to trainees on both an ad hoc basis, as well as formally - through regular progress meetings (for the equivalent of between 30-60 minutes per week.

Service trainers must be accredited by the Oxford Deanery Public Health Training Programme.

Academic Supervisors

The Training Programme Director will allocate a trainee with an Academic Supervisor for the duration of training. The Academic Supervisor is responsible for monitoring progress with all academic aspects of training and in particular support with passing the Faculty of Public Health exams. Following completion of Membership of the Faculty of Public Health, the Academic Supervisor is responsible for providing advice and support to enable trainees to:

undertaking their own research;
submitting their work for publications.

Academic Supervisors should be available to trainees on an ad hoc basis, as well as formally, through regular meetings at least once or twice a year to discuss progress and training needs.

Both the Academic Supervisor and Service Trainer are expected to work with the trainee to complete the documentation required for the annual review of progress.

For further information about Service Trainers and Academic Supervisor roles, including their selection and accreditation, please see the Faculty of Public Health training webpage.

This site was last updated 14-03-2009