UWA SPOT/SET Project

367)          the clinical teacher was professional towards patients, relatives and other health professionals

The clinical teacher conveys to their student in a variety of ways the essence of professional behavior. Modelled behaviour has a significant impact on what students learn.

·         Kasar and Clark discuss the professional behaviors of dependability, professional presentation, initiative, empathy, cooperation, organisation, clinicial reasoning, supervisory process, verbal communication and written communication in Chapter One of Developing Professional Behaviours. (Kasar & Clark, 2000). They conclude that "Professional behaviors cannot be taken for granted and it cannot be assumed that they are innately present. Professional behaviors must be nurtured and developed in students and clinicians because they embody what it takes to be successful as a professional..."(p. 7)

·         The Preceptor as Role Model (Seibert & Haq, 1999), notes "Physician role models may convey powerful messages that are difficult to cover in the formal medical school curriculum."

·         Clinical Teaching (Ladyshewsky, 1995) outlines five principles of effective supervision (pp.22-23), including being a role model and interacting well with other staff and patients.

Kasar, J., & Clark, E. N. (Eds.). (2000). Developing Professional Behaviors. Thorofare, NJ: Slack.

Ladyshewsky, R. (1995). Clinical Teaching, HERDSA Gold Guide No.1. ACT: Higher Education and Research Development Society of Australasia.

Seibert, C., & Haq, C. (1999). Precepting Preclinical Students [World Wide Web]. University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Family Medicine. Retrieved 20 October, 2002, from the World Wide Web: http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/pcc/tools/role.html