96099 Genetic Counselling Clinical Placement 2
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 96104 Communication and Counselling AND 96103 Medical Genetics and Genomics in Practice AND 96102 Research Methods in Genetic Counselling AND 96105 Clinical and Community Placement 1
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
The application of theory and skills learned during the coursework subjects begins during the second clinical placement. Students undertake clinical placement alongside practicing genetic counsellors in a variety of settings and learn through guided practice. Students are expected to demonstrate early development of core skills in genetic counselling, including taking a family history and providing explanations of inheritance patterns. As they did during 96105 Clinical and Community Placement 1, students engage in weekly reflective practice supervision to help transform their clinical experience into learning. Students continue to maintain a log book to record and reflect on their learning during this subject.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 005. | Engage in client-centred genetic counselling practice |
|---|---|
| 006. | Use basic counselling skills including active listening, attending, reflecting, clarifying and summarising |
| 007. | Demonstrate empathic listening skills |
| 008. | Establish rapport with clients and families |
| 010. | Establish an environment conducive for effective communication |
| 016. | Respect, protect and maintain client confidentiality |
| 028. | Collect, draw and enter family history information to complete a family tree |
| 031. | Identify, synthesise, organise and summarise medical and genetic/genomic information for use in a clinical consultation |
| 032. | Use relevant databases and the genetics/genomics literature to inform practice |
| 033. | Facilitate clients’ understanding of risk |
| 041. | Engage in reflective practice |
| 066. | Adhere to laws, evidence-based guidelines, codes of conduct and policies that are relevant to genetic counselling practice |
| 068. | Organise and prioritise workload autonomously and as a team member |
| 070. | Implement strategies to continually improve own genetic counselling practice through ongoing learning |
| 071. | Identify own learning needs and direct own learning experiences |
| 072. | Take action to recognise own limitations and access help when needed |
| 073. | Develop and maintain respectful working relationships with colleagues at all levels |
| 075. | Work within the boundaries of the Scope of Practice for Genetic Counsellors |
| 077. | Work respectfully with professional/ administrative/ ancillary staff |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Apply evidence-based genetic and genomic health care to practice across a variety of settings and roles. (1.1)
- Apply professional self-awareness through self-reflection to enhance their practice in genetic and genomic counselling to improve client outcomes. (1.2)
- Demonstrate a critical awareness of cultural and societal diversity and disparity in health care into genetic counselling practice. (2.1)
- Critically reflect on ethical Indigenous research including relationship building, communication, client-centred and reflective practice to work with and for Indigenous Australians across the genetic counselling profession. (2.2)
- Demonstrate appropriate and effective relationships with people from diverse communities. (3.1)
- Demonstrate the core tenets of the genetic counselling profession, including professional and ethical behaviour and responding positively to changes in genetic and genomic healthcare. (5.2)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject contributes to the following graduate attributes:
Practice ready:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are knowledgeable and literate healthcare practitioners, with well-developed workplace communication skills. They are skilled in providing evidence-based care to clients and their families in a variety of settings as autonomous and collaborative practitioners.
Culturally competent:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are self-reflective, culturally competent professionals who embrace cultural diversity. They work alongside Indigenous Australians, New Zealand Maori, Pacifica and other culturally and societally diverse groups to build equitable access to genetic and genomic healthcare.
Person-centred:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling are empathic, person-centred practitioners who form and value partnerships with individuals, families and communities. They facilitate understanding and adaptation to information provided by genetic and genomic technology for individuals and families.
Professionally competent:
Graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselling embody professional and ethical practice, and uphold knowledge and competency standards both locally and globally. They embrace opportunities for leadership and contribute to shaping the future development of the genetic counselling profession.
Teaching and learning strategies
Preparation for Learning: A 10-day clinical placement and participation in a week-long Virtual Clinical Placement (VCP) forms the core work in this subject. While on placement, students will begin to use the core competencies required for HGSA Certification. Activities that assist in the preparation for placement and preparation for weekly reflective practice supervision will be undertaken on Canvas.
Live and online workshops: Weekly live and online small group reflective practice supervision provides students with a weekly opportunity to engage with their supervisor and student colleagues throughout this subject. Supervision provides a rich environment for discussion and collaborative exploration of clinical placement experience, contributing to deep learning.
Reflective Learning: Students are encouraged to critically reflect on their learning and skill development throughout the subject, to identify areas where they may improve their performance, and to assist in the development of lifelong learning. Reflective learning will be encouraged through specific activities including weekly reflective practice supervision in small groups, and assessment tasks in which students will reflect on their emerging professional identity over the duration of the session.
Ongoing feedback: Verbal feedback will be provided throughout the subject during reflective practice supervision. Opportunities for formative feedback on assessment tasks are available prior to the due date and summative feedback is provided following final submission. Students will engage in feedback conversations with clinical placement supervisors throughout the placement. Written feedback will be available as part of the clinical placement supervisor’s report..
Content (topics)
Students complete their first clinical placement during this subject.
Students are required to complete 15 days of placement in a clinical genetic service. The timing of the placement during the semester will depend on the availability of clinical placement supervisors at UTS Genetic Counselling approved sites.
Placements will take place between week 1 and week 8, or between week 10 and week 14. There may be an opportunity to commence the placement during the mid-year break or during the UTS exam period. Weekly live and online classes for other subjects in the spring session are scheduled for Thursday to allow students to be present at their placement site for the majority of each week.
Students will participate in weekly live and online small group reflective practice supervision throughout the session.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Virtual Clinical Placement Workbook
| Intent: | The virtual clinical placement (VCP) comprises the third week of clinical placement and gives the students an opportunity to practice skills in preparation for their first active placement. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 028, 031, 032, 033, 041, 068, 073 and 075 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.1, 1.2, 2.2 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | A template will be provided for the workbook |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
|
Assessment task 2: Interprofessionalism Quiz
| Intent: | Quality, person-centred healthcare requires professional interdisciplinary collaboration between a variety of health disciplines. Effective interdisciplinary collaboration and professionalism involves knowledge of different types of teams and ways of working in teams, discipline roles and responsibilities, ethical principles and team-based communication methods. Students will demonstrate their interdisciplinary knowledge in these areas of professionalism through a case- based quiz. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 073, 075 and 077 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 5.2 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | 30 minutes with approximately 20 multiple choice questions |
| Criteria: | See marking criteria in canvas site |
Assessment task 3: Process Record
| Intent: | This assessment task requires students to look deeply at a single interaction with a client to facilitate the development of reflective practice. Students are encouraged to use this task to assist the development of a framework for situated noticing of their clinical work including listening, observing body language and the feelings both they and their clients are experiencing. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 016, 041 and 075 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Reflection |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | Verbatim recollection AND 500 word reflection |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas. |
Assessment task 4: Clinical Placement Supervisor's Report
| Intent: | In order to be a deliberative professional, genetic counsellors learn to reflect on current practice to identify strengths and areas for further learning. The clinical placement supervisors report forms the platform for identification of goals for each placement and formal, written feedback at the end of the clinical placement. This, in turn, assists with the identification of learning goals for future placements, contributing to development of lifelong learning. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 010, 016, 028, 031, 032, 033, 041, 066, 068, 071, 072, 073, 075 and 077 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | A report template will be provided to the student and the clinical placement supervisor prior to the start of the placement. A 500 word reflection will be submitted with the supervisor's report. |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
|
Assessment task 5: Logbook - This is a 'must-pass' assessment
| Intent: | This task begins to prepare students for completion of HGSA Certification following graduation. Students are required to establish and maintain a log book of cases while on clinical placement, using the same template as they will use when undertaking certification following graduation. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 005, 006, 007, 008, 016, 028, 031, 032, 033 and 041 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 5.2 |
| Type: | Portfolio |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | A template will be provided for the logbook. Word limits will apply to each section of the logbook, in accordance with HGSA guidelines. |
| Criteria: | You will be assessed on:
Detailed assessment criteria will be provided in Canvas. |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass this Subject, a minimum grade of 50% must be achieved and students must submit all assessment tasks. This subject includes a ‘must-pass’ assessment (log book AT5) in which a minimum grade of 50% must be achieved.
Students are required to attend a minimum of 85% classes.
Required texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures