A (Short) Reflection on Clinical Placements

Tara tells gives us the low down on becoming a practise educator...

As I am only in my fourth year of practice, I remember my university placements well...and believe me, it was a mixed bag. I definitely felt like I very rarely got the most out of the experience: the expectations varied so much from one to the next. Not to mention, I was terrified most of the time, generally feeling like I was the elephant in the therapy room. Of course, there were placements that I did enjoy but it is often easier to recall the tragic or comical placements, rather than the ones on which I felt comfortable and valued. 

Now, as a fully fledged therapist, with a few clinical years behind me, I am determined to be the best placement supervisor ever! I attended UCL and City University’s Placement Educator Course (which I highly recommend!).  I am currently coming to the end of the first cohort of students and the learning journey has continued! Below are some of those lessons, which I hope will help upcoming SLTs and those who are taking on students of their own. This will be followed up with another blog post on tips for the practise educator & tips for the SaLT student on placement! 

A starter for 10: 

  • Having placement students is tiring! On top of a full caseload, admin work, CPD, supervising others and reflecting on one’s own work- it really isn’t an easy additional responsibility.
  • It is worth it!
  • It is a big responsibility: you are in a huge place of influence: you may potentially shape this students view of that area, of the profession, of what it’s like to work in the real world! 
  • It gets easier to plan and support the students as time goes on.
  • Having placement students improves your clinical and management skills. 
  • Giving feedback to others is terrifying, even to a second year student. 
  • The learning process is two-way, try and see what you can learn from them! 
  • I miss uni...
  • I don’t miss uni...

It’s been absolutely exhausting, but I have learnt so much from my students. I have refined many of my skills (clinical & supervisory). I was inspired to plan and execute creative sessions. Despite the feeling that I was juggling a few more balls for the weeks they were on placement, I would 10000% recommend taking on placement students. This is an absolute privilege. Clinical placements are a huge part of our university and clinical training experience and shape the choices we make when we qualify. As clinicians, it’s our responsibility to give these students our very best, and inspire the next generation of therapists!