Peer Coaching and Health Science Practicums: Best Practices of Experienced Clinical Educators

Abstract

The health sciences sector uses work integrated learning to prepare professionals for practice and has done so predominately using a traditional apprenticeship model. Over the past two decades there has been an increasing focus on integrating peer coaching into this learning environment. While peer coaching can occur informally, failure to formalize the process and train participants can negatively impact rapport-building, trust and learning outcomes. Hence, clinical educators often need some guidance in supporting this placement model. As a result, this research examines the best practices of 31 highly experienced clinical educators within a peer coaching placement model by capturing their explicit and tacit supervisory knowledge.