Capstone experiences in physiology and the life sciences mark the culmination of a major, providing opportunities for students to integrate knowledge of systems and skills and apply these to solve real world problems as they transition into professional careers. A review of capstone units in physiology and life science in curricula in Australia provides evidence that capstone units range in design from disciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary; disciplinary capstones being most common. Best practice capstone design, however, extends students beyond the discipline in authentic professional contexts with external partners. Often, however, such designs come with challenges. Challenges include professional schedules and contexts which conflict with students and cause discomfort, uncertainty and confusion. Yet in the search for designs in physiology and life sciences that create transformational student experiences capstones in authentic settings remain “best practice” because they enable students to understand the discipline and value the impact of their higher education.
Pauline M. Ross (Sun,) studied this question.