Take part in Podiatry Board of Australia’s (Ahpra) public consultation
3 May 2024
The Podiatry Board of Australia’s (Ahpra) independently chaired Accreditation Committee (the committee) has opened public consultation on its draft guidance on embedding good practice in clinical placements, simulation-based learning and virtual care in initial student health practitioner education.
These are important and necessary components of every health practitioner’s initial education as they help ensure graduates are equipped with the capabilities required for safe and contemporary health care practice.
Clinical placements provide students with opportunities to turn theoretical learning into practice, and to experience a range of workplace settings. They help students practise their skills and meet required learning outcomes in a supportive environment, with levels of supervision appropriate to the stage of their professional education.
Like clinical placements, simulation-based learning can add significant value to learning for student health practitioners. Evidence also shows the importance of including content on virtual care in initial student health practitioner education curricula. Health care is rapidly evolving. Health practitioner education must also evolve to reflect changing community needs and expectations. Clinical placements, simulation-based learning and education in virtual care are central to a student health practitioner’s education to ensure they have the capabilities required for future practice.
The committee’s draft guidance provides an overview of evidence-based strategies for continuous improvement of student learning in relation to clinical placements, simulation-based learning and virtual care. It draws on the best available evidence identified at the time of writing.
The primary audience for this draft guidance is National Scheme entities, and in particular the National Boards and accreditation authorities. The committee envisages that accreditation authorities will use this guidance in undertaking their accreditation functions.
The podiatric community is encouraged to share its feedback on the draft guidance. This is available here on the committee’s current consultations webpage, or click below to download the consultation paper:
- Consultation paper – Draft guidance on good practice in clinical placements, simulation-based learning and virtual care (191 KB, PDF), Word version (163 KB, DOCX)
The committee is interested in your feedback on the specific questions outlined in the consultation paper and response template, download below:
- Response template - Draft guidance on good practice in clinical placements, simulation-based learning and virtual care (190 KB, PDF), Word version (154 KB, DOCX)
How to share your submission
The response template provided above can be used to submit feedback by close of business (AEST) 21 June 2024 via email titled: ‘Feedback – public consultation on good practice guidance for clinical placements, simulation-based learning and virtual care'. When complete, please email your submission to AC_consultation@ahpra.gov.au.