The influence of managed care on the M.S.W. social work student's development of the professional self

Abstract

The impact of managed care, together with other changing educational practices and philosophies within schools of social work, converge to undermine the professional development of students as clinical practitioners. As profit, productivity and short‐term, directive, solution‐oriented treatments are emphasized, the basic psychodynamic‐psychosocial foundation for building the professional self is being eroded. This change in educational and field practice emphasis impedes the acquisition of the ability to listen and to hear, to relate professionally, to develop greater reflectiveness, and to accept the ambiguities inherent in the treatment situation. Without a psy‐chodynamically informed theoretical foundation on which to build these capacities, students’ professional development will be compromised.

Notes

Esther Urdang, Ph.D. was formerly Adjunct Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Field Education at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. She serves as Research Advisor for Smith College School for Social Work. She also has a private clinical, supervision, and consultation practice in Providence, RI.