General Clinical Placement#

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The field placement is designed to complement the other coursework units. In year one placement is designed to complement the clinical psychopathology, diagnostic, assessment and interviewing skills covered in the didactic units. All principal field supervisors are registered psychologists and normally also members (or eligible for membership) of the College of Clinical Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society.

The placement comprising 30 days includes 10 days of intensive practical training undertaken by experienced academic clinical staff under the auspices of the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic . Students will receive training in skills relating to mental state examination, diagnostic assessment, intellectual and cognitive assessment and personality assessment. The remaining 20 days will be undertaken as one or more field placement within various clinical settings, including community mental health services (psychiatric inpatient units, crisis teams, clinics, and rehabilitation services), community health clinics, medical clinics, and a range of specialist services (private and public). The order in which the various components of the placement are undertaken may vary according to availability of external placements.

The objectives of the subject are for students to begin to develop assessment and interviewing skills and to start to apply these skills in a clinical context. The placement is comprised of clinic based training as well as an external placement.

The clinical based training workshops focus on developing competency in interviewing and counsellin,history taking, conducting assessments (including mental status examinations and psychometric testing) and case formulation and psychology report writing.

In the external placement students will gain some familiarity with a range of psychiatric presentations across the lifespanand begin to develop more of an appreciation of the role of a clinical psychologist within a clinical service. Although the external placement is "observational" it is envisioned that students will gain experience in observing and conducting assessments, in developing treatment recommendations and (where appropriate) in the provision of simple interventions unde the guidance of their supervisor.

University and field supervisors will conjointly determine whether the student has passed the placements. The student will formally meet with the University supervisor and one of their major field supervisors at least once during the placement to determine progress and outcome. If it becomes apparent during placement that teh student's performance is inadequate in some respect, then the supervisors will attempt to help the student to rectify deficiencies, if necessary by requiring the student to undergo additional training.

Students who do not receive a satisfactory report from placement supervisor/s may be required to complete further placement experience before being passed in this component. Students will be required to write a brief report at the end of their placement detailing the work undertaken, and their learning experiences. Field supervisors will be asked to complete a structured report on the student's progress. Students will also be asked to keep a log book of their palcement activities (both the Training and Field placement components) and will be required to write up two mental state examinations and one complete case history (or equivalent).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students will be given the opportunity to develop some familiarity with a range of psychiatric presentations across the life span and begin to function as practitioners, although closely supervised by field supervisors. Under supervision, students will observe and receive practical instruction in interviewing and counseling, history taking, conducting assessments (including mental status examinations and psychometric testing where appropriate) and case formulation, in the context of courses and prognoses of disorders. In addition, they may make some treatment recommendations and may conduct simple interventions under the guidance of their supervisor.