Policy and Procedures On Student Numbers In The Acupuncture Teaching Clinic1
The College’s charitable objectives include commitments to high standards of clinical education for students and to accessible treatment at high standards for patients. We have a duty of care which extends to our patients, students and staff. The successful operation of the teaching clinic depends on achieving an effective balance in addressing the needs of these three groups, and the nature of this balance varies depending on the number of students in clinic on a particular day. This policy and procedures outline our overall policy on student numbers and details some of the practicalities of dealing with different scenarios. It applies to both the main teaching clinic and the multibed clinic.
Overall Numbers
Under normal circumstances there should never be more than six students in total to one supervisor. If it is necessary to schedule more than six students on any day, an extra supervisor must be put in place for that day.
Exceptional circumstances: under rare and exceptional circumstances we may allow a total of 7 or 8 students in clinic, but only with approval from the Course Director and Principal following consultation with the regular supervisor. Under no circumstances will we allow more than three third year students to one supervisor.
Maximum Numbers By Year
Third year students may not exceed three students to one supervisor.
Numbers of first and second year students can vary as long as the total of all students does not normally exceed six.
Minimum Numbers By Year
We aim as far as possible to schedule students so that there is always at least one third year student present in clinic. If this is not possible and there is a day with no third year students scheduled, the procedures documented below are followed (see “Procedures for Clinic Days with no Third Year Students”).
Numbers of first and second year students can vary and may on occasion be zero.
Ideal Balance Of Numbers
Ideal numbers for clinic to function at its best are two or three third years, two or three second years, and one or two first years, with a maximum of six students in total.
Additional Supervisors
If it is necessary to schedule more than three third year students on any day, we will always provide an additional supervisor for that day.
If it is necessary to schedule more than six students in total on any day, we will provide an additional supervisor for that day.
We will also provide an additional supervisor for the multibed clinic if there are more than eight patients.
If there are clinic days with no third year students but a large number of first and second year students (five or six) it may be appropriate to provide an additional supervisor in order to provide a good student experience. This will be decided by the Course Director and Principal after consulting the regular supervisor for the day.
On most clinic days the ground floor front room is used for clinical discussions between supervisor and students. Additional supervisors can use the clinic kitchen/discussion room for clinical discussions with their students. When this is not possible the two supervisors will collaborate on best use of the clinic kitchen/discussion area and other available rooms.
Procedures For Clinic Days With No Third Year Students
Days When No Third Year Students Are Scheduled
On these occasions we know well ahead that there will be no third year students present.
Reception should aim for maximum patient numbers of 4 evenly spaced in the morning, and 3 in the afternoon.
Also, as a general rule we will not book in new patients on these days, unless:
- 1) there is a good reason why a new patient cannot be booked in on a different day, AND
- 2) there is a large gap in the diary (ideally two hours)
Needling may be undertaken by the supervisor, by second year students in their second block of days when approved by the supervisor and restricted to an agreed list of points, or by a combination of the two.
These arrangements have been agreed with the clinic supervisors.
Days When No Third Year Students Attend Due To Last Minute Cancellation(S)
These are days when there are no third year students due to last minute cancellations by one or more students, due to illness for example.
On these occasions the supervisor and receptionist will need to look at the diary together. The supervisor may be able to manage regular patients but a new patient will be problematic. It may be that the new patient is booked in at a time when there is no overlap with any other patient (i.e. any other patient is booked in at least half an hour before the new patient, and no other patients are booked in during the minimum hour and a quarter needed with the new patient). If this is the case, the supervisor will be able to take the case and give treatment him/herself. However, if the new patient is booked in at a time which overlaps with other patients needing treatment, the supervisor cannot be in two places at once so this is very difficult. It is usually best for reception to phone the established patient(s) or the new patient, explain the situation, and ask very politely if it is possible to change the time of the appointment. It is important to say to patients that if this is at all problematic we will honour the original appointment time, but if changing the time is not a problem then that would help us out. If patients are unable to change times the supervisor will work round the problem in some way, probably by leaving the new patient for a while so they can go and treat the other patient as quickly as possible.
Another possible solution is to call in a local locum if available at short notice, or the Course Director or Principal, if available, to provide some extra cover for an hour or so.
1Policy Review Date: 12/05/2022. Revised by: Academic Board. Next Revision date: May 2026.
