Hi Silkysplinter,

I agree with Ginger and the info above is helpful.

Don't be despondent...instead, take it on the chin - not that their behaviour is right but because physiotherapy itself will be better for it - we need people like you.

My worst experience is on a 4th year clinical placement in paediatrics. The supervisor said on the first day that if there were any issues, to let her know. Cool. I let her know that i had JUST been diagnosed with a sleep disorder which i had a medical certificate for and the doctor recommended i rest 20mins at lunch time. The student room was 10mins walk there and then back so not enough time to sleep but at the physio department - which was EMPTY - i wasn't allowed to sleep on a plinth behind a curtain - who would have even known i was there?

Anyway, that was fine because rules are rules and i can handle that. What i couldn't handle well was the systematic picking on every little detail that i did wrong. She even told me in my mid-point evaluation that i was wrong to tell her about my condition and that i was whinging about it. Ha!

The worst was when i did a clinical evaluation of a child, i did ok for a student but she took me to task over it and i passed, maybe got a credit. A fellow student did pretty much the same thing and he got a high distinction!! Now THAT is biased clinical supervisor behaviour!!!

Having supervised students and staff, i can tell you that i have high expectations but balance the negatives with lots of positives. I question them lots and challenge them lots but i think i am fair.

Be the best physio you can be. Try to see your supervisors as stressed out and unable to give the encouragement that they didn't receive themselves.

All the best