Clinical Placement 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

200 hours

Enrolment in one of the following Psychology professional training programs, 527CL, 527CN, 080CL, 080CN or MC-PSYCHCS

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

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

Students are required to complete 35 days placement in the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic at Blackwood Street, North Melbourne. The placement will combine patient contact, supervision and the optional delivery of training. Over the 35 days, students are required to complete at least 12.5 hours of psychological assessments and to accrue a further 67.5 hours of face-to-face contact with patients (assessment and ongoing treatment of adults). Overall students will carry out 80 hours of psychological treatment. Most of these hours will be spent providing individual treatment, although there may also be scope of group treatment. Weekly individual supervision will be augmented with fortnightly group supervision. Supervisors for the Clinic placement will be registered as both psychologists and supervisors with the Psychology Board of Australia. They will also be a member (or eligible for membership) of the College of Clinical Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society. Students undertaking this placement must be provisionally registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and hold current Police and Working with Children's checks.
Students will also be required to attend 9 workshops that address specific clinical skills and are practical in nature.

The subject aims to provide the students with opportunities to experience a range of clinical presentatin in adult patients and to begin functionning as a clinical psychologist, under the supervision of a supervisor. Students will receive experience in history taking, conducting a mental state examination, arriving at a case formulation and making treatment plans. Under supervision, students will be given the opportunity to develop competence in the proivision of psychological treatments to individuals and (where appropriate) groups. In addition, the subject aims to give the student experience of professional psychology practice, including professional presentation, report writing and record keeping, managing a clinical caseload, and liaision with other professional practitioners.

1. A hurdle requirement of

(i) attendance at placement for 80 hours face to face clinical work (assessment and treatment);

(ii) At least 80% attendance at the following workshops ; (1) mental state examination, (2) history taking and diagnostic interviewing and, (3) 4 X 1.5 hour workshops on Wechsler test administration, scoring and interpretation.

(iii) Students must provide evidence that log books are checked and endorsed by their primary placement supervisor AT LEAST every fortnight.

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. Placement goals are as follows: 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 field supervisors.

None

None

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

This placement subject is designed to promote an in-depth understanding of specialist practice, to expand the range of ways in which learning occurs; to develop a capacity to work collaboratively, to confront and manage unfamiliar problems, to value different cultures, and to develop a high regard for human rights, ethics and equity.