PYN036 Supervised Internship: Practicum 2

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This core unit of the Master of Clinical Psychology and Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) courses provides you with the opportunity to develop intermediate skills in assessment, formulation, treatment planning, and feedback of intervention to stakeholders. The unit will assist you in your understanding of process issues and the ways in which process underpins your practice as a integrative practitioner, able to draw upon a range of approaches in developing your practice. You will build on your learning from PYN035 as you undertake supervised psychological practice in the QUT Psychology Clinic or alternative settings. You will develop an intermediate level of professional knowledge and skills in the practice of professional psychology, awareness of ethical guidelines, paying due regard to public safety, and a high standard of professional conduct. The unit is designed to partially meet the relevant supervised practicum requirements of APAC.

This is a designated unit which is essential to your course progression. Designated units include professional experience units, units requiring the development of particular skills, and units requiring demonstration of certain personal qualities. If you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit, you may be excluded from enrolment or will be put on academic probation. If you fail a designated unit twice within your course, you may be excluded. Supplementary assessment is not available on designated units.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Attain developed skills in administration of assessment, diagnosis, formulation, treatment planning, and therapeutic communication in psychological practice, with an emphasis on evaluating the outcomes of psychological services.
2. Apply ethical and legal frameworks to practice as a psychologist, complying with the professional code of ethics, the Psychology Clinic procedures and policies, and other legal obligations associated with psychological practice.
3. Demonstrate professional, effective written and oral communication with clients, Clinic staff, supervisors, external agencies and wider audiences.
4. Demonstrate professional conduct as a psychologist by undertaking appropriate professional activities, follow supervisors’ directives, ensure punctuality and well-developed organisational skills, maintain accurate records of practice, and promote the Clinic’s psychological services to the public and other professions.
5. Undertake research and evaluation relevant to your placement including competently identifying and defining research problems and evaluating research outcomes.
6. Practice effectively in a multidisciplinary, interprofessional context.

Content

Learning Approaches

PYN036 is a Work Integrated Learning unit. You will be expected to engage in professional practice activities, to participate in practical exercises which will inform learning, and participate in regular case presentations. You will also engage in professional supervision throughout the placement which will provide you with individualised feedback on your practice.

The unit has particular objectives focused on the development of practice skills relevant to effective psychological practice. The unit employs reflective practice-based learnings drawing upon case presentations with the intention of facilitating effective practice. Content and process can be adapted to the pace and needs of the class participants with case presentations used throughout the unit to accommodate diverse learning styles and promote depth of learning. You are expected to take some responsibility for your own learning and are also encouraged to contribute your experiential knowledge and current learning in class activities.

PY18 and PY19 course design is intentionally blended to purposefully integrate active face-to-face learning experiences with blended/online learning experiences across the course consistent with the course learning outcomes, cohort needs and discipline professional practices. Canvas is used within this unit to inform and enhance your learning. All unit material required for learning and completing assessment is included online through Canvas. Additional readings and resources such as web links and video material is also posted where appropriate to expand your ability to advance your knowledge in the unit's subject matter.

A key aim of the unit and course is to support (provisional) psychologists in developing their knowledge, skills and competencies to an intermediate level so they are able to provide the best quality care for their clients and organisations. Underlying this aim, and in line with registration guidelines, is a focus on ensuring the public's safety.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Ongoing feedback is provided by your supervisor through your regular supervision meetings with them and through weekly case presentations. Remediation may be planned to help you improve your skills and professional competencies as required. If a need is identified for you to receive mediation to improve one or more skills or professional competencies (e.g., in your client work, folio, or in your performance on the MSAT), a remediation plan may be developed for you.

Assessment

Overview

Formative assessment in the unit is ongoing. Whilst individual strengths and weaknesses, theoretical orientation, particular skills and interests and previous experience may vary, you are expected to demonstrate, and will be assessed on, certain generic skills throughout the course of your placement, consistent with the competencies expected at Level 3 of the APAC Standards.

The activities you will need to undertake to satisfactorily complete the unit include:

1. Hours of general psychological practice
2. Hours of direct client contact
3. Supervision
4. Clinical work
5. Case Summary
6. Psychological Testing
7. Case Study
8. Case Files
9. Logbooks
10. Case presentations

HOW YOUR GRADE WILL BE DETERMINED:
You will receive a S/U grade for each assessment item in PYN036 (portfolio and MSAT). Feedback will be provided according to the criteria and standards provided. You must receive an 'S' on both assessment pieces to successfully complete the unit.

Note that prior to release of grades, the unit coordinator undertakes a moderation process to ensure that criteria and standards have been applied consistently and fairly. From time to time errors are made - if you find such errors, you should approach the unit coordinator immediately. Actively reading the feedback provided will enhance your learning success. 

Final grades are not confirmed until reviewed by the relevant Faculty Assessment Committee and approved by the Executive Dean at the completion of each teaching period.

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Portfolio

You are required to submit an electronic portfolio comprising:

• copies of your placement agreement
• one case study
• two psychological reports;.
• a record of supervision sessions
• a record of activities and summary of placement hours
• four examples of client related correspondence
• the completed mid and end of placement review
• four copies of discharge summaries/case closed forms
• your student evaluation of placement, and
• a reflective essay on your experience. 

The cases should demonstrate your capacity to work from both a CBT and Psychodynamic framework (Clinical) and an assessment and counselling perspective (Educational and Developmental).  

The portfolio is due at end of placement and should be submitted within 2 weeks upon completion of your hours.

All work submitted must be deidentified.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Threshold Assessment:

The skills and paperwork you will demonstrate in order to complete this piece of assessment are fundamental to the profession of psychology and therefore you must achieve a satisfactory grade on this assessment task in order to complete the unit.

Assessment: Multi-Station Assessment Task

The Multi-Station Assessment Task (MSAT) assessment is a comprehensive oral exam based on individual interviews and examples of your work based upon video material which cover the required areas of competency as defined by APAC. Authentic assessment is emphasised through the assessment of application of knowledge and skills developed in the unit to practice settings and scenarios. The areas covered are:

1. Knowledge of the discipline;
2. Culturally responsive psychological assessment;
3. Intervention strategies;
4. Evaluation of therapeutic outcomes;
5. Communication, consultation and collaboration; and
6. Ethical, legal and professional matters
7. Working across the lifespan

The MSAT will assess your capacity to integrate knowledge, and skills required for professional practice: culturally responsive assessment (including psychometric), formulation and diagnosis, treatment planning and intervention and the monitoring of interventions. You are expected to demonstrate capacity for clinical reasoning, awareness and responsiveness to client characteristics, needs and priorities, and legal and ethical considerations. Awareness of wider systems also need to be acknowledged. You are also expected to demonstrate capacity to communicate effectively with relevant stakeholders.

Criteria

• If one domain is failed, you can re-sit that section alone after remediation;
• If two domains are failed, you can re-sit those two sections after remediation;
• If three domains are failed, you will be required to re-do the placement and re-sit the entire MSAT thereafter;
• Students who fail 3 or more components of the MSAT will be required to repeat the Internship;

All criteria are assessed on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
The MSAT exam will take place in the last weeks of the semester exam period.

Threshold Assessment:

The skills and paperwork you will demonstrate in order to complete this piece of assessment are fundamental to the profession of psychology and therefore you must achieve a satisfactory grade on this assessment task in order to complete the unit.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Registration with provisional conditions or full registration with the AHPRA is required to undertake this unit.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Teyber, E. (2017) Interpersonal Process in Therapy: An Integrative Model (7th ed.). USA: Brooks Cole.

Recommended text(s)

Finlay, L. (2015) Relational Integrative Psychotherapy UK: John Wiley & Sons. 

Flanagan, D. P., & Harrison, P. L. (2018) Contemporary Intellectual Assessment Theories, Tests and Issues (4th ed.)  USA:  The Guilford Press.

Reference book(s)

McCallum, S. R. (2007)  Handbook of Nonverbal Assessment (2nd ed.) USA: Sprenger.

Risk Assessment Statement

There may be out of the ordinary risks associated with placements, eg. exposure to forensic populations, those with impaired judgment due to psychological disorders or intoxication. You will be provided with printed notes relating to safety issues at the beginning of semester, and you will be reminded of safety guidelines at the beginning of each placement.

Course Learning Outcomes

PY18 Master of Clinical Psychology

1. Apply advanced and specialised knowledge of Clinical Psychology to plan, assess, treat and manage clients with mental disorders and conditions, across the lifespan and from a range of backgrounds, including accessing, evaluating and utilising digital health information.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, Portfolio, Multi-Station Assessment Task
2. Engage in the development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions, using advanced critical thinking and decision making skills, applying professional values and reflective practice to inform culturally safe and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.
   Relates to: ULO1, Portfolio
3. Plan, undertake and disseminate research in complex real world situations from diverse perspectives, demonstrating a high level of personal autonomy and accountability relevant to professional practice.
   Relates to: ULO5, Portfolio
4. Promote and practice effective written, oral and digital communication to analyse and convey complex information and build productive professional relationships.
   Relates to: ULO3, Portfolio, Multi-Station Assessment Task
5. Deliver Clinical Psychology services with a high degree of professionalism and reflective practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO6, Portfolio

PY19 Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental)

1. Critically evaluate and apply theories of psychology and evidence-based knowledge and skills applicable to the professional practice of educational and developmental psychology, adhering to contemporary professional practice standards.
   Relates to: ULO1, Portfolio
2. Formulate approaches for engaging in critical thinking. decision making and reflective practice, drawing on cognitive, technical and creative skills, to identify and implement contemporary evidence-based intervention and assessment strategies in varied contexts that reflect culturally safe and responsive practice.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Portfolio, Multi-Station Assessment Task
3. Plan, undertake and disseminate research in complex real world situations from diverse perspectives, demonstrating a high level of personal autonomy and accountability relevant to professional practice, .
   Relates to: ULO5
4. Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant psychological information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional collaboration with a range of audiences and contexts that demonstrates creativity and initiative as an educational and developmental psychologist.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, ULO6, Multi-Station Assessment Task
5. Promote and practise effective written, oral and digital communication to analyse and convey complex information and build productive professional relationships across diverse stakeholders.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO6, Portfolio, Multi-Station Assessment Task