University of Technology Sydney

96047 Clinical Placement 1

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health (GEM)
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Pass fail, no marks

Requisite(s): 96043 Introduction to Clinical Practice Skills AND 96044 Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology AND 96045 Adult Clinical Psychology 1 AND 96049 Assessment Across the Lifespan AND 96046c Research Project 1 AND 96048c Adult Clinical Psychology 2 AND 96050c Clinical Health Psychology
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject consists of a placement in the Psychology Clinic at UTS. It provides ongoing training as part of the practical component of the clinical psychology program. The aim is to develop clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis, case formulation and treatment of clients with a range of presentations. Trainees are required to attend clinical workshops, complete a placement in the clinic, and attend weekly supervision and ethical and clinical practice meetings.

Typically trainees are expected to attend one hour per week of adult therapy supervision, one hour per week of child therapy supervision and one hour of neuropsychology supervision (group supervision every week, with individual supervision by appointment as required). Attendance at all supervision is required irrespective of caseload.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

001. Locate scholarly literature relevant to a given topic
016. Integrate diagnostic information with formulation in treatment planning
017. In collaboration with the client, adapt a standardised formulation to an individual case
018. Integrate cultural competence and client preferences into a clinical formulation
019. Test the explanatory power of a given formulation with respect to response to treatment
020. Develop a formulation from a range of clinical perspectives
021. Review and re-formulate based on new information
022. Determine the appropriateness of providing a diagnosis
023. Apply multiple methods for assessing the severity and types of mental health conditions
024. Identify comorbidity
025. Determine differential diagnoses where appropriate
026. Apply diagnostic systems (e.g. DSM, ICD) in a given clinical context
027. Identify whether a case lies within the practitioner's professional competence
028. Identify appropriate referral services for the client's needs
029. Follow a structured process to arrive at the most accurate diagnosis
030. Draw on clinical evidence to propose an intervention
031. Justify the selection of a particular intervention
032. Design an intervention
033. Evaluate stakeholder perspectives in the planning of an intervention
034. In collaboration with client, plan an intervention
035. Justify the links between diagnosis, formulation and the intervention chosen
036. Provide evidence-based treatment across the life-span
037. Use core behaviour change techniques
038. Provide evidence-based treatment across a range of disorders
039. Respond to the immediate needs of any clinical presentation
040. Utilise specific behavioural and cognitive interventions
041. Plan and review homework
042. Summarise and gain feedback from client
043. Review treatment progress and adjust treatment as required
044. Integrate varying stakeholder needs and input to achieve optimal client outcomes
045. Measure behavioural, cognitive and affective change
046. Evaluate the impact of an intervention
047. Assist client in generalising gains made in the clinical context
048. Collaboratively devise a relapse prevention plan
049. Collaboratively plan the end of treatment
050. Demonstrate empathic active listening skills
051. Apply core therapy skills, such as clarifying, reflecting, paraphrasing and summarizing
052. Achieve and maintain an effective therapeutic relationship
053. Identify goals with clients and stakeholders
054. Explain one's own role, within the context of the service
055. Explain the limits of confidentiality
056. Explain the therapy process
057. Use written and spoken communication in a manner appropriate to the target audience
058. Produce accurate, succinct and well-organised written communications
059. Negotiate the commencement, conduct and termination of a treatment session
060. Negotiate the commencement, conduct and termination of a treatment program
061. Maintain professionalism in inter- and intra-professional communication
062. Communicate own work to supervisors and other stakeholders
063. Openly reflect on own work with supervisor
064. Maintain a professional relationship with supervisor
065. Give an account of how learning from supervision is applied
066. Accept supervisory input
067. Conduct ongoing self-evaluation
068. Monitor and manage in a timely fashion issues related to self care
069. Manage conflict in work and treatment settings
070. Interpret initial client information
071. On the basis of available information, establish initial assessment requirements
072. Select appropriate assessment measures and methods for a given case
073. Provide a rationale for the method(s) of assessment utilised
074. Ensure that assessment includes memory, intelligence, personality, behavioural functioning and mental state
075. Conduct appropriate tests, interviews or other assessments
076. Interpret assessment results
077. Communicate results of assessment in an appropriate format to relevant individuals
078. Respond appropriately to any risk arising from assessment
079. Engage minority or marginalised groups appropriately
080. Provide clinical services in a culturally competent way to clients of diverse cultural backgrounds
081. Respond appropriately to the service needs of vulnerable groups in society
082. Apply knowledge of historical and contemporary indigenous experience to professional practice
083. Maintain continual professional development and registration requirements
084. Utilise best available methodologies and resources in clinical practice
085. Maintain records and carry out administrative tasks to the required standard
086. Adhere to the guidelines and policies of relevant professional bodies
087. Maintain familiarity with State and Commonwealth law and regulations relevant to the practice of clinical psychology
088. Negotiate a work / supervision plan
089. Manage interpersonal boundaries
090. Recognise ethical dilemmas
091. Apply ethical decision-making principles in professional practice
092. Gain and maintain informed consent
093. Maintain confidentiality at all times
094. Maintain professional dress, demeanour and behaviour
095. Engage minors and those unable to provide informed consent in an ethically appropriate way
096. Ensure own competence to practise
097. Detail practitioner's obligations with respect to own and others' competence
099. Evaluate new technologies for use in clinical psychology

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:

  • Apply in practice accurate and comprehensive knowledge of the current state of psychological theories and models, the application, implementation and interpretation of psychological investigations, and the implementation of psychological interventions. (.001)
  • Provide ethically and legally accountable client-centred care, with awareness of own capabilities and limitations. (.002)
  • Assess and report on individual and population psychological health status, using appropriate testing and/or observation methodologies. (.003)
  • Design and evaluate psychological interventions to optimise client or organisational health. (.004)
  • Evaluate evidence and engage in systematic inquiry. (.005)
  • Communicate effectively and accurately with clients and stakeholders in written or spoken language appropriate to their needs. (.006)
  • Contribute as leader and collaborator in the delivery of client-centred care (.008)
  • Reflect on the knowledge, skills and attributes required for the evaluation and integration of emerging evidence into practice, promoting the growth of personal and professional learning, and the education of others. (.009)
  • Represent the psychologist's perspective in multidisciplinary environments, and through self-awareness and acknowledgement of the contribution of other health practitioners, support an interdisciplinary approach to attain the best outcomes for clients. (.010)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of psychological practice in national and global communities, with awareness of their social and cultural contexts, using a consultative approach to the formulation and implementation of management plans to meet diverse needs. (.011)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:

Lifelong learning
Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology are lifelong learners, committed to and capable of reflection and inquiry in their quest for personal development and excellence in professional practice.


Professional capacity
Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology are client-focussed, ethical practitioners with the understanding and proficiency to be leaders in their profession, capable of effectively researching and communicating solutions in a global context.


Global citizenship
Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology contribute to society, resolving to undertake those actions and responsibilities that will enhance their role in local, national and global communities.


Cultural competence
Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology are culturally competent professionals, able to reflect on and explain their own cultural perspectives, accommodate cultural differences and achieve optimal outcomes through the adoption of a consultative approach to patient care with indigenous Australians and other cultural groups.

Teaching and learning strategies

Preparation for Learning:

Students are required to prepare for placement by completing relevant learning activities. These activities include completing the required readings and skills practice prior to attending the placement and working with clients. The pre-placement activities will assist students in delivering high-quality evidence based care for the clients that they see as part of the placement.

Active Workshops:

During workshops, students will practice various clinical techniques and interventions in pairs or small groups. During these simulations, students are encouraged to provide feedback to their peers and to obtain feedback from their peers on their own performance. The coordinator will also provide limited verbal feedback where possible during these simulated sessions.

Authentic and Simulated Clinical Experiences:

Students will engage with clients to apply the skills they have learnt in their coursework to the presenting problems of real clients in practice. Students will also have the opportunity to role play skills with their peers.

Case-based Learning:

Case-based learning is a form of problem-based learning and is a key learning strategy in this subject. During the clinical practice meeting authentic and de-identified case examples will be presented to students by their peers to inform their ongoing treatment of clients throughout the semester.

Collaborative Learning:

Much of our work as clinical psychologists involves working with multi-disciplinary teams as well as teams made up of multiple psychologists. Therefore it is essential that clinical psychology students develop skills in teamwork.

Collaborating with peers during class and outside of class activities assists students in building collaboration and leadership skills. In this subject students are required to collaborate regularly on their work with clients, as well as various workshop activities, and assessable tasks.

Reflective Learning:

Reflective practice is an essential skill of a clinical psychologist. This subject aims to foster reflective practice by regularly asking students to reflect on their work with clients and identify areas of clinical strength and weakness.

Ongoing Feedback:

In-workshop verbal feedback is an important teaching and learning strategy employed throughout the subject. Specifically the course coordinator/instructor will observe skills practice and provide feedback on skills as required. Students will also regularly receive feedback from their peers in the workshops. Students also receive weekly feedback from each of their clinical supervisors during their weekly supervisions sessions.

Content (topics)

In this subject students will complete 7 full day skills and theory based workshops. Workshops consist of lectures, discussion and development of skills associated with clinical interview, clinical assessment, risk assessment and responding to client distress.

Workshops will also consist of topics such as client case note recording, report writing, ethical practice, and working with clients across the lifespan and from a range of Indigenous and cultural backgrounds. Workshops will include CBT skills that focus on adherence to the CBT model.

Notes corresponding with each lecture, including any associated electronic material or links, will be uploaded to Canvas.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Mid Placement Review

Intent:

Clinical psychologists work with a variety of client presentations. The intent of this assessment is to ensure that students are competent in the assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and treatment of a variety of client presentations.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

001, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022, 023, 024, 025, 026, 027, 028, 029, 030, 031, 032, 033, 034, 035, 036, 037, 038, 039, 040, 041, 042, 043, 044, 045, 046, 047, 048, 049, 050, 051, 052, 053, 054, 055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063, 064, 065, 066, 067, 068, 069, 070, 071, 072, 073, 074, 075, 076, 077, 078, 079, 080, 081, 082, 083, 084, 085, 086, 087, 088, 089, 090, 091, 092, 093, 094, 095, 096, 097 and 099

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

.001, .002, .003, .004, .005, .006, .008, .009 and .011

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Length:

20 days (10 weeks)

Criteria:

Assessment criteria can be found in the Assignments link on the subject Canvas site.

Assessment whilst undertaking the first Clinic Placement will be carried out via supervision on a weekly basis and reviewed at the mid placement review meeting.

Assessment task 2: Clinic Placement (must-pass assessment)

Intent:

Clinical psychologists work with a variety of client presentations. The intent of this assessment is to ensure that students are competent in the assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and treatment of a variety of client presentations.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

001, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022, 023, 024, 025, 026, 027, 028, 029, 030, 031, 032, 033, 034, 035, 036, 037, 038, 039, 040, 041, 042, 043, 044, 045, 046, 047, 048, 049, 050, 051, 052, 053, 054, 055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063, 064, 065, 066, 067, 068, 069, 070, 071, 072, 073, 074, 075, 076, 077, 078, 079, 080, 081, 082, 083, 084, 085, 086, 087, 088, 089, 090, 091, 092, 093, 094, 095, 096, 097 and 099

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

.001, .002, .003, .004, .005, .006, .008, .009 and .011

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Length:

42 day (21 weeks)

Criteria:

Assessment criteria can be found in the Assignments link on the Subject Canvas site and important information about the clinical placement and this assessment can be found in the clinic handbook, which is on the subject canvas site. Assessment whilst undertaking the first Clinic Placement will be carried out via supervision on a weekly basis and reviewed at mid placement and end of the clinic placement review meetings. Formative feedback will be provided at the mid-placement review. Any concerns with student performance will be highlighted at the mid-placement review and a remediation plan put in place between the student and supervisor to ensure students are able to enhance their competencies.

Assessment task 3: Case presentation (must-pass assessment)

Intent:

The ability to communicate an understanding of client work including the conceptualization and rationale for treatment approaches is a crucial clinical psychology competency and so attendance at clinic meetings and completion of a case presentation is required during this internal psychology-training placement. One oral case presentation will be completed by each students and assessed by staff in weekly clinic meetings held online from week 9-14 (9 am to 11 am).

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

001, 016, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022, 023, 024, 025, 026, 029, 031, 032, 035, 036, 040, 045, 046, 053, 054, 057, 058, 062, 067, 072, 073, 077, 084 and 086

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

.001, .003, .004, .005, .006, .009 and .010

Type: Case study
Groupwork: Individual
Length:

20 minutes

Criteria:

Assessment criteria can be found in the Assignments link on the Subject Canvas site and in the Psychology Training Clinic handbook.

Assessment task 4: Case report (must-pass assessment)

Intent:

The ability to communicate an understanding of client work including the conceptualization and rationale for treatment approaches is a crucial clinical psychology competency. Additionally the capacity to communicate case work in written form is essential and so completion of a case report is required during this internal psychology training placement.

Objective(s):

This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives:

001, 016, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022, 026, 031, 032, 035, 036, 040, 045, 046, 053, 054, 057, 058, 062, 067, 072, 073, 077, 084 and 093

This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes:

.001, .003, .004, .005, .006, .009 and .010

Type: Case study
Groupwork: Individual
Length:

2,000 words

Criteria:

Assessment criteria can be found in the Assignment link on the Subject Canvas site and in the Psychology Training Clinic handbook. This is a must pass component. Pass/fail grade.

Minimum requirements

Attendance requirements for each component of the subject are indicated above.

There are must-pass assessment in this subject. Please check assessment descriptions for details.

Required texts

Coursework Assessments Policy

Coursework Assessments Procedures

Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)

Recommended texts

Tolin, D. F. (2016). Doing CBT: A Comprehensive Guide to Working with Behaviors, Thoughts, and Emotions. New York: Guilford Press.

Newman, C.F. (2013). Core Competencies in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. New York: Routledge