PLACEMENTS

Overview

Introduction

The following sections provide information about the placements component of the DPsych (Clinical) program. All students are required to read and be familiar with this information prior to commencing their placements. The answers to most placement-related issues can be found in this handbook so students should retain a copy for future reference. Students may contact the Placement Coordinator to obtain an electronic version of the Placements section of the handbook.

Background

Placements are recognised as an essential component in the training of professional psychologists. They are designed to provide students with a range of experience and skills that will equip students for working as a clinical psychologist. To ensure that placements are conducted in a manner which provides appropriate experience for students, various regulations have been developed by the University, APAC (the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council, the APS (Australian Psychological Society) and the PRBV (Psychologists’ Registration Board of Victoria).

Aims

The aim of placements is to provide students with the opportunity to develop professional competence in a work context. Competencies include mastery of a number of skills, including the ability to apply academic training to placements problems, and the development of a critical appreciation of the roles and functions of psychologists in organisations. The placements also fulfil requirements for membership of the Australian Psychological Society, the College of Clinical Psychologists and for legal registration as a Psychologist in Victoria.

During placements it is expected that students will develop a range of core and specialist competencies as described by the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists (Appendix B). For instance, students should learn and apply skills in psychological assessment, interpretation and evidence-based interventions to a range of individuals, families, and/or groups. Students will observe and take part in assessments and interventions in these appropriate services and organisations under the supervision of a clinical psychologist who is also a member of (or is eligible for membership of) the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.

Placement Coordinator

The University is required to appoint a placement coordinator who is responsible for liaising between the University and the all field supervisors, for assisting students with the process of arranging clinical placements, for monitoring student progress during placements, and for ensuring that the paperwork has been completed properly. The placement coordinator will visit each placement at least once while the student is on placement, generally midway through for the
mid-placement review. Students are ultimately responsible for submitting their placement paperwork on time, students will not receive a final mark for their placement until all placement paperwork has been submitted and reviewed by the Placement Coordinator.

Dr Lillian Nejad is the Placement Coordinator for the DPsych (Clinical) program. Lillian can be found in Room 545 of the Biology Building 17, Monash University and can be reached by phone on 9905-1194 or via email at: .

Clinical Placement Requirements & Expectations

Clinical placements are a vital part of the training of psychologists. Students must successfully complete three supervised placements in a variety of settings within the first two years of the DPsych program. (The fourth placement (internship) in the student’s specialisation occurs in 3rd year and is not organised by the Placement Coordinator, and therefore, is not discussed in this section of the manual.)

In total, students are required to complete a minimum of 1000 hours (126 days) of placement experience during the DPsych (Clinical) course. The placement requirements satisfy the APAC (Australian Psychology Accreditation Council) guidelines for the DPsych Clinical course in the School of Psychology & Psychiatry at Monash University as well as the requirements for registration as a psychologist with the Psychologists’ Registration Board of Victoria and for membership of the Clinical College of the APS.

It is essential that the placements provide students with the experience of dealing with a wide range of client problems (e.g. acute as well as chronic disorders), across varying age ranges (child, adolescent, adult, older adult), settings (e.g. inpatient/outpatient, community), and use of a variety of clinical skills (assessment, treatment, and professional). Each placement should be different in focus so that each of the above dimensions is covered adequately.

Table 1 shows the recommended number of days per placement; however, this may vary according to the needs of the placement organisation. For instance, some services only offer 40 or 50 day placements and therefore, days can be adjusted accordingly.

All employment requires completion of some mundane and repetitive tasks (e.g., photocopying, completing forms) and student placements are no exception. The main objective of the placement is, however, to provide an opportunity for students to gain a range of professional clinical psychology skills while contributing to the objectives of the placement agency. Placement tasks may vary from student to student for a variety of reasons. For instance, those students who have had previous work experience, especially in clinical psychology, may be seen by the agency as qualified to engage in high competency tasks, whereas students who have had little or no previous work experience may be only given the opportunity to observe such activities. Thus, the differences within and across agencies, supervisors, and students means students will not be performing similar tasks when on placement. Although students will have different levels of expertise depending on their prior experience, professional behaviour is expected to be of the highest standard in all placements regardless of the student’s stage of training.

Table 1.

Period / Placement / Days
Year 1, Semester 2 / Introductory / 32
Year 2, Semester 1 / Intermediate / 47
Year 2, Semester 2 / Advanced / 47

Students will not be permitted to commence their first placement unless they have satisfactorily completed other course components and progressed adequately on their research. The decision as to whether a student may commence placement training is reached by the DPsych Board of Studies.

Descriptions of the three placements are provided below.

DPSY5299 Introductory Placement

Most students will do their first placement at the Monash Clinical Psychology Centre (CPC) starting at the end of first semester and concluding mid-December. This is a 32 day placement and would be completed at two days a week for the first four weeks (between semesters) and at one day a week for the remaining period. A select number of students will do their introductory placement in an external agency—these will often be primarily observation-based placements with a high level of support and supervision. The initial placement is allocated to the student by the placement coordinator. Students who do an external placement will do their second placement (intermediate) during first semester of second year at the CPC.

In the introductory placement, students should already have a sufficient theoretical basis to enable them to acquire placement skills in psychological assessment and interventions with a range of clients. During the introductory placement, proficiency in basic clinical skills should be developed either through direct practice or observation and students should be able to apply their academic training to enable them to select, administer and score the commonly used psychological tests. Students are encouraged to practice writing mental state examinations, case histories and psychological reports. Students would be expected to have frequent opportunities to observe their supervisor and to be observed by their supervisor, particularly earlier in the placement. Ethical standards should be strictly adhered to and students should ascertain the specific policies and procedures of the service in regard to ethical considerations as well as occupational health and safety guidelines.

At the completion of the initial placement, students will be expected to understand the role of a psychologist within the placement setting and how this role functions within a multi-disciplinary team. In addition, students will be expected to have developed a thorough understanding of the context of the delivery of the service and the particular function it serves to the clients and the community at large. Students should be cognisant of the competing demands on service delivery and the range of issues that impact upon it.

Intermediate and Advanced Placements

Students will generally not be permitted to commence their second and third placements until their paperwork from their previous placements have been submitted to the Placement Coordinator. Students will be allocated two external placements in their 2nd year – one in each semester. These 47-day placements are generally undertaken on a two-day per week basis over 24 weeks but variations to this standard pattern might be approved. In some instances, part of the placement may be completed in a more intensive manner in the form of a block. In such cases a student may complete 4 or 5 days per week for a period of weeks. Any adjustments to the usual schedule need to be arranged by the Coordinator prior to commencement of the placement. Considerations include the demands on other components of the DPsych course, research progress, and the agency’s capacity to provide adequate placement experience and supervision to the student.

DPSY6199 The Intermediate Placement

Students are expected to contribute to service delivery by participating in the provision of a clinical psychology services to a range of persons with relatively uncomplicated psychological disorders. At this stage, students will be expected to carry a client load with moderate supervisory support. Management of record keeping and liaison with other professionals should also be carried out with minimal supervisory support. Again, ethical standards should be strictly adhered to and students should ascertain the specific policies and procedures of the service in regard to ethical considerations as well as occupational health and safety guidelines. Students should also demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of the agency’s role in service delivery. Opportunities for student and supervisor observation is recommended to facilitate skill development.

At the completion of the intermediate placement, students should have developed skill and confidence in applying their theoretical knowledge, implementing appropriate assessment and intervention techniques, and providing appropriate written and verbal feedback in the form of case notes, reports and letters. Students should also have developed an awareness of the intricacy of the therapeutic relationship and of the contribution of their personal qualities to it. Their practice should reflect the professional principles of the highest standard and their role within an agency should be equivalent to that of a junior employee.

DPSY6299 The Advanced Placement

The advanced placement provides students with the opportunity to directly contribute to service delivery by participating in the planning and provision of a clinical psychological service to a range of persons with relatively complex emotional and behavioural problems and disorders. At this stage, students will be expected to carry a moderate client load with minimal supervisory support. Their practice should reflect the professional principles of the highest standard and their role within the agency should be equivalent to that of a junior employee. Opportunities for student and supervisor observation is recommended particularly with more complex cases or less familiar tasks.

By the end of the advanced placement, students will be expected independently to develop and deliver intervention strategies across a range of areas which reflect an understanding of the current knowledge of best practice. Students should also be proficient and more efficient in conducting assessments, interpreting findings, developing formulations and writing reports and case notes. Furthermore, students should be able to provide input at the organisational level and be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of psychological principles and how these can be implemented within service delivery systems. A full understanding of the complexities of provision of services should be apparent with evidence of an appreciation of the wider context in which the client operates and in which the service is provided.

Specialist Internship

In Year 3, students are required to complete a 92-day internship. Internships are part of the specialisation year and are organised by the specialisation coordinators. They are only available to students who have successfully completed all three placements. Information about internships will be provided later in the course.

Assessment

Students’ performance at each placement is graded pass or fail. The final recommendation to the DPsych (Clinical) Board of Studies regarding whether a student has passed or failed the placement, is made by the Placement Coordinator in consultation with the field supervisor.

Satisfactory completion of a placement requires that the student has both performed satisfactorily in the placement as reported by the Supervisor and that all documentation in relation to the placement has been signed and returned to the Placement Coordinator at the University.

Details about placement documentation requirements are discussed below and all forms are provided in the Appendices of the handbook. Students are advised to familiarise themselves with these documents prior to commencing any placements.

If a Student’s performance is determined to be unsatisfactory, s/he shall fail the placement. Upon failure of a placement, the Board of Studies will consider the appropriate actions to be taken. The Student is invited to meet with the Placement Coordinator(s) and be involved in the development of a plan to resolve the issues resulting in the Placement failure. If a Student is not satisfied with the resolution, the Student is invited to consult with the Executive Committee of the Board of Studies. The following recommendations have been devised as possible resolutions to Placement failure and do not represent an exhaustive list.

·  The Student may be judged to be inappropriate for continued training. If so, the Board of Studies will develop a plan for the Student’s education based on their progress in the Doctor of Psychology Courses.

·  The Student may be judged to require further training to meet the requirements of placement settings. The Board of Studies will develop a plan to provide the Student with additional training and assessment of their progress. An additional Placement may be offered to the Student upon evaluation of their progress as appropriate for placement. The Student’s performance will be assessed during such Placement by the processes outlined above. The Student’s overall progress in the Doctor of Psychology Courses will be modified and extended as appropriate.

·  The Student may be judged to not require further training, but requires more clinical experiences to implement progress begun within the failed Placement. An additional Placement may be offered to the Student upon evaluation of their progress as appropriate for placement. The Student’s performance will be assessed during such Placement by the processes outlined above. The Student’s overall progress in the Doctor of Psychology Course will be modified and extended as appropriate.