Abstract:

The Medical Supervisor Curriculum (MSC) is Australia’s first national framework designed to strengthen clinical supervision across all medical specialties. It is structured around seven core capabilities: educational planning, curriculum implementation, assessment, feedback, professional development, learner support, and supervisor training. Developed through rigorous cross-college collaboration and grounded in empirical research, the MSC addresses longstanding inconsistencies in supervisor training, promoting culturally safe, inclusive, and high-quality supervision practices. To bring the curriculum to life, the project produced 21 scenario-based micro-learning modules tailored to the realities of metropolitan, rural, and remote healthcare settings. These modules are informed by adult learning theory, evidence-based feedback models, goal setting, reflection, and cultural safety principles. They embed realistic supervisory challenges into brief, engaging learning experiences that encourage practical reflection and the application of skills. This paper focuses on the learning design approach used in developing these modules. It discusses the use of scaffolded instructional strategies, reusable design templates, cognitive load management principles such as the expertise reversal effect, and the integration of cultural safety across all content. The MSC offers a flexible, scalable, and pedagogically robust model for national supervisor development, contributing to a more consistent and effective clinical education system across Australia.

Keywords:

Core capabilities, supervisor training, micro‑learning, cultural safety, medical education.