Scaffolded clinical skills development for Clinical Managers in the Royal Australian Navy

The Clinical Manager (CM) has been described as a linchpin to the healthcare capabilities of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Education and development for this important role has undergone substantial change in recent years, moving from an internally operated course to an externally provided higher education qualification. These changes in education include the manner in which clinical skills training is delivered. It is now embedded into a scaffolded approach that takes the learner from introduction of underlying knowledge to skills trainers, simulation, cadaveric training and whole of sick bay simulation. This article seeks to outline the changes that have occurred in CM education, and describes the scaffolded approach used to develop their clinical skills.