Clinical Education in Transition: Recommendations and Strategies A Report of the ASAHP Clinical Education Task Force

• Published in: Journal of allied health Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 237 - 249
• Main Authors: McLaughlin, Robert J., O'Brien, Christopher W., Weinstein, Marcie, Anderson, Roy B., Cameron, Joseph, Romig, Barbara D., Westervelt, Scott, O'Sullivan-Maillet, Julie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions 01.12.2019; John Colbert; Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions
• Subjects: Behavioral Objectives; Community Relations; CONTEMPORARY ISSUES; Education; Education Majors; Educational Change; Educational Objectives; Etiology; Health Behavior; Health care; Health Occupations; Health services; Higher education; Hospitals; Instructional Leadership; Labor Force Development; Learning; Literature Reviews; Medical education; Medical Evaluation; Medical Services; Occupational Therapy; Patients; Physical Environment; Physicians; Professions; Resistance (Psychology); Site Development; Speech therapy; Student Costs; Students; Systematic review; Task forces; Teachers; Technological Advancement
• ISSN: 0090-7421; 1945-404X

The practice models, interdisciplinary team functions, intersecting competencies, economies, and settings of contemporary healthcare are all in flux, demanding that educators reconsider traditional health professions clinical education models and partnerships. The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) and Allied Health (AH) deans, collectively and individually, must determine the priorities and strategies to advance AH education. This paper offers five recommendations that stem from a review of literature pertaining to current changes in the healthcare sector and higher education that challenge the availability of AH clinical education. Vetted by AH educators and health system representatives, the recommendations subsume proactive strategies that target factors affecting learning in the clinical environment and aim to meet the needs of patients/clients, employers, students, and educators. The recommendations are: 1) Develop meaningful strategic partnerships with healthcare organizations; 2) Assess and integrate interprofessional competencies for efficient and effective interprofessional practice (IPP); 3) Incorporate effective use of healthcare technology into AH education and practice; 4) Advocate within and among healthcare systems, higher education leadership, accreditation and professional organizations, and governmental agencies to foster and support IPP competencies and effective cross-discipline referrals; 5) Drive excellence in clinical education through promotion of research and scholarly activity. J Allied Health 2019; 48(4):237–247.