Yet, clinical teachers are often unprepared for their role. They can lack sufficient guidance about the aims and objectives of clinical teaching, and lack training skills of clinical teaching. Clinical teachers have a heavy responsibility for the development and continuation of professional knowledge and for the maintenance of standards of practice. Experience has shown that training for the role is essential and that experiential learning and reflective practice are most potent methods for helping clinical teachers develop skills and confidence in their role. There are different levels of knowledge skills and functioning in clinical settings.
Valid assessment measures what it is supposed to measure.
For clinical teaching, valid assessment must include hands on performance in clinical settings at all the levels and through all the domains outlined above. Valid assessment also considers the capacity of students to reflect on practice and display the attitudes and skills of a life-long learner. Valid assessment of clinical learning will include teacher assessment of performance in actual clinical conditions, particularly for final certification. Assessment in clinical settings can also be a good opportunity for self and peer assessment, collaborative assessment and for involvement of patients. The reader who wants to develop a detailed assessment regime is referred to that source.