Issues and innovations in clinical education

The provision of adequate, high quality clinical education for speech pathology students is becoming increasingly challenging, due to a range of changes and attitudes within all groups who have an interest in clinical education. Significant changes in speech pathology workplaces and employment patterns of speech pathologists, and concurrent changes in universities have created a situation of minor to extreme shortage of clinical placements in many countries. The appropriately high standards but sometimes prescriptive expectations of professional associations, accrediting bodies, and licensing or registration boards in some countries exacerbates the problems faced in developing alternative placement opportunities and supervision models. At both systemic and individual levels, some clinical educators hold on to beliefs and clinical education practices which are outmoded and impede the development of alternatives to the provision of clinical education. This article explores some of these issues, discusses some innovations in clinical education and challenges stakeholders to critique their positions and practices concerning clinical education.