Twelve tips for effective international clinical placements

Abstract

As universities adopt an increasingly international focus, student health professionals are keen to gain clinical experiences in other countries. Such clinical placements provide students with the opportunity to share their knowledge and at the same time acquire new clinical and cultural skills. The experience gained will not only enhance their clinical practice overseas, but will also enhance it in their home country where they are likely to work with people from culturally, linguistically and clinically diverse backgrounds. Careful preparation and adequate supports are critical if students and the host institutions are to gain maximum benefit from cross-cultural clinical placements. The tips below are based on an ongoing collaboration between the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Kolkata, India and The University of Sydney, as well as recommendations from the burgeoning literature on international clinical placements. The authors are from both the sending and the receiving institutions, and have found that close collaboration between the home and host institutions along with student reflection, evaluation and the opportunity to integrate new knowledge with other clinical experiences are keys to a satisfactory outcome for all concerned.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susan Balandin

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR SUSAN BALANDIN is the Director of the Disability Initiative at the University of Sydney and an experienced speech pathologist in the area of lifelong disability. She has worked clinically and in research collaborations with colleagues in India for the past eight years.

Michelle Lincoln

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MICHELLE LINCOLN is the Head of the Discipline of Speech Pathology at The University of Sydney. Michelle is a teacher and researcher in clinical education of allied health students.

Reena Sen

REENA SEN is Director of Training and Research at the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Kolkata. Her PhD is from the University of London Institute of Education. She has many years experience teaching students with disability and coordinates the B.Ed in Special Education offered by the IICP with Jadavpur University.

David P. Wilkins

DAVID P. WILKINS, PhD, is a research academic in the Disability Initiative at the University of Sydney. He is trained as an anthropological linguist and is currently concerned with the question of how differences in cultural beliefs about health and health intervention affect success in cross-cultural communication and clinical practice.

David Trembath

DAVID TREMBATH is a lecturer in lifelong disability in the Discipline of Speech Pathology at The University of Sydney. He has contributed to the India placement for over six years as a student, clinical supervisor, and program coordinator.