We can know more than we can tell: How do general/family practice supervisors work with their tacit knowing?

Background and objective: Experienced general practice supervisors at times work in ways that are more intuitive in nature. These can be characterised as being tacit. This research asked two questions: what is the nature of this tacit knowing; and how can we convey this in a suitable language to others? 

Methods: The in-depth interpretive approach of hermeneutic phenomenology was used to analyse the stories of tacit knowing by Australian general practice supervisors. 

Results: Nine supervisors participated (three metropolitan, five rural and one semirural practice) and the nature of their tacit knowing was expressed in their dispositions of ‘knowing’ rather than formulated propositions of ‘knowledge’. Three dispositions were identified as themes by creating novel word couplets: ‘re-presenting’, ‘with-holding’ and ‘path-marking’. 

Discussion: This research offers a language and novel insights into the expertise that general practice supervisors employ, which is not easily formulated into explicit teaching protocols, strategies and rules.