Returning history to the educational formation of health professionals in Australia

ABSTRACT

History has practically vanished from allied health professional education. We ask, what kind of problem does a ‘history of the professions’ pose for health sciences curriculum? What are the implications of graduates being unschooled in the history of their profession? Literature on knowledge in the curriculum, is used to interrogate how historical knowledge has come to be constituted in professional education fields. We develop a sketch of two particular health professions – occupational therapy and physiotherapy – and ask why it might be difficult to include a history of the profession in these curricula. Our view is that by helping students to cultivate an historical imagination, they can see how their experiences are framed by a fascinating collision of ideas, politics and practices. Furthermore, attention to history can help students better situate their own uncertainties about transitioning to practice enabling them to tackle professional quandaries with hindsight, foresight and insight.

KEYWORDS:

• Health professional education
• university curriculum
• historical knowledge
• student learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tai Peseta

†

Tai Peseta is now: Learning Futures, Western Sydney University Kingswood campus, Penrith, NSW 2747Australia; and Sydney School of Education & Social Work, Room 234, Level 2 South, Fisher Library F03, The University of Sydney, 2006. Australia. Ph: [phone]

Mary Kennedy-Jones

‡

Mary Kennedy- Jones is now: School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, H59 PO Box 218, Hawthorn 3122, Australia. Ph: 61 3 9214 4935; Email: [email protected]