Course Title: External Practicum 3B

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: External Practicum 3B

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BESC1468

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2007,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012

BESC1478

Bundoora Campus

Research

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2008,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012

Course Coordinator: Dr Trish Melzer

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7722

Course Coordinator Email: trish.melzer@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Satisfactorily completion of Internal Practicum’s 1, 2, 3, & 4 and External Practicum 1, 2, and 3A. Enrolment in this unit requires demonstrated clinical skills in assessment and interventions.


Course Description

This course provides a minimum of 40 days of field experience; this practicum should be undertaken in the same setting as that for Practicum 3A (i.e., the combination of 3A & 3B giving a minimum of 80 days in one setting). The setting chosen must be of a different type from the settings attended in Practicums 1 & 2.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students will develop personal and professional awareness and skills in facilitation


After completion of the Practicum students will be expected to be able to
1. Demonstrate the generic professional competencies, detailed on the Practicum Evaluation Form, in a setting relevant to their specialisation.
2. Systematically evaluate all aspects of professional activity as specified in a performance contract, in line with the requirement of the scientist-practitioner model of professional training.
3. Systematically evaluate psychological interventions with individual clients using N=1 methodology
4 Regularly reflect on professional practice with a view to continuous quality improvement.


Overview of Learning Activities

As in Practica 1 & 2, student activities are negotiated for any venue and must meet the Australian Psychological Society (APS) accreditation guidelines that specify that 40% of placement time must be practical training face to face with clients. Students are required to demonstrate competencies in client assessment, intervention, report writing, and record keeping. Professionals working in the field provide opportunities for students to observe exemplary practice.


Overview of Learning Resources

Students will receive guidance from Practicum Coordinator in terms of specific agencies and venues that may be appropriate. Guidance is also given in terms of information published and updated annually in the Discipline of Psychology’s Practicum Placement Manual.


Overview of Assessment

There must be at least one placement review during the practicum. Once the placement in a venue has finished, an end-of-placement evaluation must be completed and submitted within two weeks of the completion date. The student must submit:
1. a copy of their log-book record of face to face work with clients and all supervision in the Practicum venue;
2. a completed Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria, Placement Report Form.
3. for each of Practicum 3 and Practicum 4, a copy of an assessment-treatment-management plan based upon empirical literature relevant to the difficulties experienced by a client seen during the placement. The placement supervisor and the placement coordinator must countersign each of these reports. Note each of these reports will form the basis of separate advanced training seminar presentations.
4. a one-page description of their placement experiences that will be made available to future students exploring placement options; and
5. a written self-evaluation of their generic and specific professional competencies and a professional development plan that is designed to address professional learning needs. The placement supervisor and the placement coordinator must countersign this evaluation.