SUPERVISION FOR LICENSE EXAM SUCCESS
Many successful clinical license exam candidates find that they have learned just as much, if not more, exam relevant information from their post-graduate supervision as they did in graduate school.
Insight, creativity, and clinical wisdom are qualities that we all value from an effective supervisor. These qualities enrich our lives as well as our clinical practice. In addition to these qualities, clearly articulated, specific, and technically sound information are needed to prepare for a license exam that is largely concerned with determining your ability to practice safely, effectively and independently.
Here are some of the qualities successful exam candidates have identified in their clinical supervisors. They say that “My supervisor...
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asks me to identify alternative possible diagnoses and treatment planning options
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asks me to explain why I consider my diagnostic conclusions and treatment planning decisions to be better than the alternative options
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identifies assessment, diagnostic and treatment options that I had not considered
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explains and demonstrates clinical skills, then gives me opportunities to practice, then gives me feedback about how well I’m applying the skills
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uses systematic frameworks to review the work that I’m doing with clients, rather than only having “free form,” intuition based discussions
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supports a “sense of direction” by helping me to identify how my assessment findings lead to a case formulation and diagnosis which leads to treatment planning decisions which lead to a choice of intervention strategy which leads to a choice of intervention techniques which leads to progress evaluation and eventual achievement of goals and/or termination
This kind of supervision has structure and substance. These qualities are enhanced when supervisors and supervisees enter into a well-formulated “Learning Plan” or "Learning Contract." Here is an example.
SAMPLE LEARNING CONTRACT
PURPOSE (examples)
"The purpose of this Learning Contract is to provide a framework for planning the supervisee’s individualized experiences within the agency's mission and organization."
"The Contract will support the supervisee’s efforts to learn, and the supervisor’s efforts to teach, the knowledge and skills required for professional licensure."
"This agreement is designed to bring structure and focus to the supervisory process."
GOALS (examples)
"Develop sufficient clinical knowledge and skills to practice safely, effectively and independently with a diverse clientele."
"Further develop clinical knowledge and skills which can be generalized to a variety of settings."
"Learn to better articulate the knowledge and skills relevant to clinical decision making."
OBJECTIVES (examples)
1. Identify and incorporate ethical standards and professional values in practice.
Specific Learning Objectives (examples)
In each of five cases supervisee will articulate how he/she applied at least...
- five ethical standards related to the client
- three ethical standards related to collegueal relationships
- three ethical standards related to professional practice
2. Integrate theory and practice.
Specific Learning Objectives (examples)
Supervisee will articulate at least seven core principles distinguishing each of the following theoretical orientations:
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Psychodynamic
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Cognitive/Behavioral
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Humanistic/Existential
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Social Systems
For each of these theoretical orientations, supervisee will articulate at least three ways in which it is relevant to the mission and goals of this agency.
In each of five cases supervisee will articulate...
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how the case might have been approached differently from each of three theoretical perspectives
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a client specific rationale for selecting a particular theoretical orientation in the case
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at least five positive and at least five negative consequences of having chosen the selected theoretical orientation
3. Improve proficiency at biopsychosocial assessment.
Specific Learning Objectives (examples)
In each of five cases supervisee will thoroughly and accurately apply each of the following assessment frameworks...
- ego functions and defense mechanisms
- character styles
- mental status examination
- DSM classification of mental disorders
- role functioning
- social systems assessment of client’s family
- social systems assessment of another significant reference group
In each of five cases involving symptoms of mental disorder supervisee will thoroughly and accurately identify...
- at least ten alternate possible diagnoses based on the client’s known symptoms
- the additional information needed to rule in or rule out each of those diagnostic options
- a validated diagnostic conclusion
In each of five cases involving clinical risk supervisee will thoroughly and accurately identify...
- indicators of risk
- at least ten factors relevant to evaluating risk severity
- an evaluation of risk severity based on those findings
- a risk containment plan with at least five elements
In each of five cases supervisee will develop a Case Formulation which identifies...
- prioritized assessment findings
- impairments in functioning are linked to symptoms of client’s diagnosis (if applicable)
- environmental factors which cause, trigger, exacerbate, or maintain client’s symptoms and/or impairments in functioning
