Investigation on the current situation of clinical postgraduate tutor-postgraduate interaction and analysis of optimization paths under the framework of Peplau’s interpersonal relations theory

This study applies Peplau’s interpersonal relations theory to investigate the interaction between clinical medical postgraduates and their supervisors at Tongji Medical College. Through surveys from both student and supervisor perspectives, it assesses the current interaction status and analyzes influencing factors, aiming to provide insights for improving this critical educational dynamic. Cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 78 postgraduates and 39 supervisors at Tongji Medical College from October 1, 2024, to October 1, 2025. Data from self-developed questionnaires based on Peplau’s theory in two versions were analyzed via descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple linear regression in SPSS 26. In this study, descriptive analysis revealed that students at Tongji Medical College generally expressed high satisfaction with their supervisor-postgraduate relationships, though supervisors demonstrated uneven performance across the stages of Peplau’s interpersonal theory. Differential and correlation analyses of the 5-point Likert scale questionnaire revealed that all 16 variables significantly influenced student satisfaction. Among these, four variables showed a significant positive correlation with satisfaction: the supervisor’s initiative in understanding students, the supervisor’s willingness to adjust teaching plans during the process, students’ ability to learn by analogy, and students’ development of independent clinical reasoning. Additionally, two variables showed negative correlations with student satisfaction: whether supervisors progressively increased students’ clinical autonomy and whether students developed the ability to supervise junior students. The current study applies Peplau’s interpersonal relations theory as an analytical framework. The findings suggest that incorporating this theory into the evaluation system can provide a valuable, structured perspective for assessing the relational and processual aspects of mentorship.