Volume 14, Number 1, Spring 2019Predicting Competency in Graduate Clinical Training AUTHOR(S):
ABSTRACT Graduate programs in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) are charged with the responsibility of providing quality clinical training experiences that promote each student’s growth and development toward achieving the knowledge, skills and professionalism critical to achieving clinical competence. Further, graduate programs must engage in evaluative and predictive monitoring of each student’s growth toward achieving the prescribed competencies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether specific clinical skillsets used to evaluate graduate students can predict success toward achieving clinical competency. This pilot quantitative correlational study examined pre-existing final (end of the semester) data of 103 first-year graduate clinicians. The Student Clinical Evaluation was the instrument of choice, utilizing data spanning 10 years. This study examined the correlational relationships between sections and/or questions on the Student Clinical Evaluation instrument. Professionalism (e.g., self-evaluative, reflective, critical thinking, etc.) was found to be strongly predictive of clinical competence. Yet, it was evident that many students do not enter graduate training equipped with these skills. These findings suggest that intentional training of self-evaluative, reflective, and critical thinking skills is critical to growing highly competent professionals who practice effective habits of the mind. DOI: DOWNLOAD FULL ARTICLE |