Fit for Practice: the tale of two professions

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2015-07
Authors
Stupans, Ieva
McAllister, Sue Margery
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australia Inc (HERDSA)
Rights
Copyright © 2015 HERDSA and the authors.
Rights Holder
HERDSA and the authors.
Abstract
In response to demands for health graduates, who are "fit for practice" the learning outcomes for health profession' University programs are now typically defined by professional competency frameworks. Students are deemed work ready when they have demonstrated these competencies, at an appropriate level; opportunities for demonstration are provided through good curriculum design focussed on alignment between specific competencies and their assessment. This paper compares and contrasts the expectations of graduates for the two health disciplines of Pharmacy and Speech Pathology. The related impact of how professional accreditation processes conceptualise the requisite knowledge, skills and attributes of graduates and the effect this has on assessing, evidencing and evaluating these is examined. We also discuss the implications for university teachers and the tensions around educating professionals entering uncertain, changing and complex practice environments where graduates need to be able to constantly adapt and develop skills throughout their professional life.
Description
Copyright 2015 HERDSA and the authors. Published version of the paper reproduced here with permission from the publisher.
Keywords
competency, Pharmacy, Speech Pathology
Citation
Stupans, I. & McAllister, S. (2015) "Fit for Practice: the tale of two professions." In T. Thomas, E. Levin, P. Dawson, K. Fraser & R. Hadgraft (Eds.), Research and Development in Higher Education: Learning for Life and Work in a Complex World, 38 (pp 436-445). Melbourne, Australia. 6 - 9 July 2015.