Author: Sheila Johal, MS, CGC
Let’s be frank for a minute – when the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, who amongst us predicted we would spend most of 2020 in a pandemic? Anyone?
The arrival of COVID19 brought many changes to all of us, personally and professionally. Many working in a clinical setting had to quickly convert to working at home. Those already working from home found their routines interrupted by spouses/partners who were also suddenly working from home and kids who were no longer in school. Amid all of the chaos – getting remote access to hospital systems, dividing up home office space, figuring out how to use Zoom, and sorting through the billing nightmare of telehealth, one thing did not change – the need for genetic counseling student supervision.
Pandemic or no pandemic, students need fieldwork experience. If we want well-trained colleagues, we have to provide it to them. As the academic year quickly approaches, many of us may find ourselves in a position of providing student supervision remotely, at least some of the time. As someone who has supervised students in-person, and now provides only remote supervision (even pre-pandemic), I can confidently tell you, there are many more similarities between in-person and remote supervision than differences. Here are some strategies you may find useful as you navigate this new territory.
Provide Clear Rotation Expectations
Well-defined expectations and goals set the framework for a successful rotation, whether in-person or remote. However, keep in mind the goals of a remote rotation may be different than those of an in-person rotation, so you may need to adjust any written material you may have. Put to rest any concerns you (or your student) have about remote training not providing the same quality experience as in-person patient contact. While providing telecounseling, students will still have the opportunity to develop essential skills, such as building rapport, eliciting a medical and family history, and facilitating decision making. Telecounseling also allows students to develop skills they may not have a lot of opportunity to work on during an in-person rotation, such as active listening without visual cues and conveying complex information without visual aids.
Expect Challenges
As with all new things, you will have some kinks to work out with remote supervision. What is the best time to prepare cases and debrief with your student? And how? By phone? By video chat? By email? (see below for my answer to this question). What if your student has questions? How should they contact you? How will you know your student is working if you are not with them every day?
Be patient with yourself. You have figured this out before and you will figure it out again for your new setting. Take a look at your schedule and do what makes sense for you and your daily responsibilities. Should you prep all cases at the beginning of the week or at the beginning of the day they are scheduled? Are you open to a random phone call from a student, or do you prefer an email to schedule dedicated time to review their questions?
Whatever you decided, let your student know (remember point one? Be clear in your expectations) and communicate any changes to them as soon as possible. Remember, what works for one student may not work for another, especially as your and/or your student’s responsibilities and schedules may change. And rest assured, your student is working diligently, even if you cannot see them. If they aren’t, it will become apparent very quickly.
Embrace Technology
I am looking specifically at the supervisors of my generation. Be more than just a voice on the phone to your student. Whenever possible, meet with your student via video chat. If you do not have access to a video conference platform through your employer, there are many free options, including Skype, Google Hangouts, and Zoom. Meeting routinely via video chat allows for more personable interactions and will help you foster the student-supervisor relationship that is needed for successful training.
Be Flexible
Students have been impacted by this pandemic, just as we have. As we ask them to be patient with us during this time of uncertainty, we must extend them the same courtesy. Many of them had their spring and summer fieldwork interrupted and not all have had the opportunity to make-up their time. Students beginning a rotation this fall may not have the same amount of experience as those in previous years. Goals and expectations may have to be adjusted accordingly.
Do not assume students will have more availability for clinic because they are training remotely. They will still have scheduled class time and thesis projects that require their attention. Some may have another rotation at the same time in an attempt to make up some of their lost experience.
Please also keep in mind some students and/or their families may be personally impacted by COVID19, necessitating unexpected requests for time off. It may be best to discuss how/when time missed may be made up during the orientation process.
“…No one is more adaptable than genetic counselors.”
As the uncertainty of in-person rotation experience continues, and as ACGC has indicated there will be no limit on the number of cases that students may conduct via telehealth, requests for remote supervision opportunities will continue to increase. You may find yourself supervising in a remote setting longer than expected. Fortunately for our students, no one is more adaptable than genetic counselors. Dust off your student materials and get to work. You got this!
