In partnership with the Clinical Advisory Group (CAG)

Aligning expectations for clinical placement, and communication of these expectations, is a key area for quality improvement in the MD that was identified by Dr Julie Halbert (former Heaslip Fellow) through feedback from present and past Flinders MD students. The desire was to provide a general overview of what students can expect, and what is expected from them, on clinical placement across all health care sites affiliated with the Flinders MD, across South Australia and the Northern Territory.

In the first half of 2023, a Working Group comprising of members of the CAG (representing the NT, Rural and Remote SA, and Bedford Park) and the MD Directorate, supported by Denise Caretti (Manager, Clinician Engagement team), met and deliberated on the content deemed essential to be incorporated into the Clinical Expectations document appreciating the variation in clinical practice environment ranging from remote General Practice to subspecialty units in tertiary care centres.

The result is a template that standardises the information and student expectations across various sites, underpinned by the unifying principles of what is expected of, and by, them whilst on clinical placement. This was circulated to all members of the working group for feedback. The final document was presented by Prof Heddle and A/Prof George Barreto to the MD Program Board where it received further feedback from members including the Community Consumer Representative. The final approved Clinical Placement Expectations – Flinders MD document has now been converted into an online form. This is being circulated to clinical supervisors at every clinical placement site and will remain a live document to accommodate updates. These forms are available for students and Clinician Educators to access via the learning management system.

A/Prof S. George Barreto, FRACS, PhD
Deputy Director, Flinders MD