At the outset, interns and supervisors should be open with one another about their mutual and individual needs, fears, and concerns. Just by acknowledging these factors up front, they can reduce a great deal of anxiety, crossed communication, and frustration. To start this process, we have listed some of the common needs of supervisors and interns. Interns and supervisors can check this list, modify, or add to it and then discuss individual and joint needs together.
• What supervisors need from interns: honesty and integrity, ethical conduct, openness to feedback, receptivity to being observed, respect for the supervisor’s experience, careful work, deep thought, hard work, and willingness to listen when there is disagreement. Others: ________
• What interns need from supervisors: support, patience, knowledge of the field, guidance, accessibility, modeling, direct teaching of information, involvement, some autonomy, trust, compassion, openness, acknowledgment of the power differential, discussion about evaluation, and willingness to listen. Others: ________