Educators of allied health students are set to benefit, following the launch of a suite of online learning packages and training materials.
A collaboration between Griffith University School of Allied Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Bond University, Central Queensland University, James Cook University and The University of Queensland (School of Human Movement Studies), the innovative new portal www.ClinEdAus.org.au is funded by Health Workforce Australia, as an Australian Government initiative through its Integrated Regional Clinical Training Networks.
The open access, free-of-charge website supports clinical educators in a wide range of workplace locations across Queensland and Australia. Sponsors of the project from Griffith University School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Associate Professor Andrea Bialocerkowski and Associate Professor Liisa Laakso are excited about the role the new resource can play in supporting and training current and future clinical educators, regardless of geographical location.
“We anticipate this new initiative will contribute to the opening up of clinical placements in nontraditional areas by encouraging more clinicians in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, aged care, mental health and rural and remote settings to consider taking students on placement, knowing they have the back up of this website,” says Associate Professor Andrea Bialocerkowski .
“The website addresses learning needs in core clinical education skills, preparing for and managing placements and various contexts. Materials for use with students are included, along
with university and workplace information. “Whilst this initial phase of the website has focussed on the needs of four allied health professions (exercise physiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology), most of the learning materials are relevant more broadly and the website provides a platform for addressing the specific needs of additional allied health and other health professional groups into the future.”
The new website has been developed for, and by, allied health clinical educators. Many stakeholders have been consulted and provided valuable input along the way through
interviews, surveys and focus groups to ensure the outcome is contemporary and high quality.