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1 Australian J. Clinical Educ. 1 (2016)

handle is hein.journals/asnjlocl1 and id is 1 raw text is: Cantatore et al.: Defining Clinical Education Defining clinical education: Parallels in practice Francina Cantatorel, Linda Crane2 and Deborah Wilmoth3 Abstract What is commonly understood by the term 'clinical education'? Despite the attraction of a 'one size fits all' approach, the concept of clinical education is approached differently in diverse disciplines, which may give rise to pedagogical uncertainty. Clinical education in higher education institutions, previously understood to apply exclusively to health professional disciplines, is no longer the sole domain of medicine and health sciences. Instead, it has evolved into an educational model adopted by multiple disciplines to create and implement experiential learning opportunities for students. For example, in the discipline of law it has given rise to law clinics where students are able to deal with real-life clients and obtain professional experience in interviewing and drafting legal letters and documents under close practitioner supervision. In other areas, such as psychology, clinical education has been implemented as an integral part of the educational model through university clinics and external placements that provide the opportunity to practice clinical skills under conditions of supervision prior to becoming registered as an independent practitioner. This paper examines the definition of 'clinical education' in the diverse disciplines of medicine, law and psychology by drawing on available literature and industry practice, and compares and distinguishes the understanding and application of the term in these areas. It further considers whether a cross-disciplinary approach may enhance and inform practices in different disciplines. 1. Introduction Clinical education can mean different things to different disciplines. It calls for a different approach in the context of each discipline, which may give rise to pedagogical uncertainty when trying to define what the term means or aspires to do. Clinical education in higher education institutions has been well known and successfully applied in health professional disciplines for some time, but it has also become a focal point of legal education. In short, clinical education has evolved into multi-faceted educational models adopted by multiple disciplines to create and implement experiential learning opportunities for students. This article aims to provide a short description of what the term 'clinical education' means - and how it is applied - in three central disciplines, namely medicine and health sciences, law, and psychology. It also identifies and draws parallels between each approach, and examines differences in how these disparate areas of higher education approach clinical education. A. Medicine and health sciences Slightly more than 100 years ago Abraham Flexner produced a report on medical education in which he described the fundamental importance of the teaching hospital to the education of future medical practitioners (Flexner, 1910). The core of this model, exposure of students to practising healthcare environments, has endured and today the centrality of clinical education is apparent throughout health professional education. Unlike the key role of the teaching hospital as described by Flexner however, today's use of the term 'clinical education' covers a spectrum of experiences from early observational visits in health care settings, simulated experiences of healthcare cases and situations, and student placements within health care settings in which they are involved with patient care under supervision. Although 'learning from patient contact' 1 BA, LLB (Hons), MA, GDLegPrac, PhD, Assistant Professor, Director Bond Law Clinic, Faculty of Law, Bond University. 2 BSc (Hons), PhD, GCertEd, Associate Dean, Learning & Teaching, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University. 3 PsyD, MA, BA, Clinic Director, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University. Published by ePublications@bond, 2016

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