The briefing: preparing students for clinical practice

Abstract

The briefing or pre-conference session has a special place in the clinical learning cycle (Figure 4.1). Its links with debriefing after clinical practice highlight the cyclical nature of clinical teaching. Whilst the lab is important in enabling students to master sets of clinical skills in a low-risk environment, the briefing—clinical practice—debriefing cycle concentrates on the students’ clinical assignments in the real world of clinical/community practice. Each of the three stages is distinct and well-defined demanding special skills of the clinical teacher and students. At the same time, each stage is linked to the others; the clinical teacher and students continue through the cycle in a gradual spiral to mirror the students’ progression from stage to stage.