Clinical Placement 3

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Completion of APAC approved psychology studies to fourth-year (Honours) level.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements, Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Students are required to complete a 45-day placement at an external agency, working with either adult or child/adolescent client populations. Students are required to participate in regular weekly supervision. Students undertaking this placement must be provisionally registered as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and hold current Police and Working with Children’s Checks.

External supervisors must be registered psychologists, have at least two years of full-time experience as a psychologist following the award of their postgraduate degree, be a PBA-approved higher degree placement supervisor and be eligible for membership of the APS Clinical College (i.e. whose training pathway involved completion of at least a clinical masters course).

Weekly supervision

The placement aims to provide trainees with:

- exposure to a range of psychopathology

- the opportunity to conduct diagnostic interviews in a clinical setting

- the opportunity to conduct a variety of psychological assessments (e.g., psychometric and projective testing, observational assessments and client self-monitoring).

- the opportunity to be actively involved in the planning and implementation of psychological interventions in two of individual, family, and group formats.

exposure to the wider experience of professional clinical psychology practice in areas such as clinical intake and review meetings, administrative and evaluation functions, in-service education, and so on

1. A hurdle requirement of 45 days of attendance at placement (each day equal to 7.5 hours).

Hurdle requirements include:

- placement contract;

- mid and end-of-placement reviews completed by supervisor;

- regular attendance at clinical case conference;

- three mental state examination (MSE) reports reviewed by supervisor;

- four complete case histories (including MSE, formulation and psychometric assessment where required) to be reviewed by supervisor;

2. Completion of placement goals assessed on a pass/fail basis. The assessment is undertaken by the Placement Coordinator, in consultation with the supervisor, on the basis of satisfactory attainment of placement goals following APAC accreditation placement standards. Generic placement goals include the following: experience in the administration and interpretation of a range of psychological assessment strategies and the writing of psychological reports; understanding of typical courses and prognoses of disorders, and capacity to develop appropriate treatment and management plans; experience with a variety of intervention strategies, which may include case management, individual therapy, family therapy and/or group interventions, and to be capable of evaluating those interventions; experience in functioning as an independent clinical psychologist within the facility, although closely supervised by supervisors.

None

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

1. Advanced problem identification and problem solving skills
2. Advanced written, oral and interpersonal communication skills
3. Advanced information integration skills