Abstract
Background Despite increasing focus on developing senior residents' teaching and supervisory skills, few studies have identified the components of the supervisory resident role. To develop curricula to prepare residents for this role, we must clearly define the supervising role. Objective To summarize the literature regarding the characteristics and behaviors of effective supervising residents and to propose a model of the supervisory resident role. Methods We performed a narrative review, searching PubMed and SCOPUS for literature discussing the supervisory resident role. Titles, abstracts, and articles were screened for inclusion, as were the reference sections of included articles. Using inductive thematic analysis, we coded qualitative statements, survey items, and curriculum goals and organized them into themes based on iterative, reflexive discussion. We used these themes to present a model of the supervisory role. Results Thirty-six works met our inclusion criteria. The articles represented perspectives from faculty members, residents, and medical students and utilized qualitative and quantitative methods. They indicated that the supervising resident is responsible for teaching, managing daily tasks, advocating on behalf of their team members' well-being, and creating a psychologically safe learning environment. Emphasis on each of these components varied by role on the medical team. Conclusions This is one of the first studies to incorporate multiple perspectives to describe the multifaceted role of the supervising resident, and suggests that individuals' positions on the medical team guide their perception of this role. The literature lacks adequate exploration of junior residents', medical students', interdisciplinary team members', and patients' and families' descriptions of this role.