SPTH4720 Clinical Skills and Practice (Transition to Practice)

During this capstone topic students will reflect on their course and determine how they could demonstrate that they have achieved the Flinders Graduate Qualities. They will also discuss aspects of their clinical placements which have been especially challenging, such as ethical dilemmas in client management or inequities in access to services. Working in groups they will either develop a community education project to address an area of need they have identified while on clinical placement or contribute to the development or provision of services in an area of need.

This topic aims to:

• Provide students with an opportunity to review their educational experience in the context of contemporary health and education policy and practice
• Facilitate exploration of a range of professional issues which relate directly to practice as a speech pathologist, and the transition from student to clinician
• Assist students to reflect on clinical practical experience as a student, and to begin to look forward to a career as a speech pathologist
• Examine primary health care models of service delivery
• Facilitate integration of factors relating to the social determinants of health

1. Analyse your own clinical strengths and weaknesses and reflect on your professional identity
2. Describe strategies for continued professional development as an entry level speech pathologist
3. Discuss the major concepts of ethical practice and strategies for dealing with ethical issues arising in clinical practice
4. Reflect on own competency development in supervisory practice
5. Demonstrate integrated application of Flinders Graduate Qualities and occupational competencies in relation to learning experiences