Specialist Certificate in Clinical Leadership

The Specialist Certificate in Clinical Leadership (SCCL) provides clinicians with the leadership skills they need to improve their organisations, develop and implement change initiatives, and promote treatment quality and safety excellence within healthcare settings.

The philosophy of the SCCL is to provide a contemporary, evidence-based program to health professionals to improve outcomes for their organisations, colleagues and patients.

The program is targeted towards clinicians—including doctors, nurses, dentists and allied health professionals—who currently hold, or anticipate holding, leadership positions.This offering allows for the development of leadership skills required by the clinical work context.

This is not a generic leadership program;

it is embedded within the clinical context, taught largely by clinicians, and focused on clinical issues and challenges.

Clinicians will be transformed as leaders alongside other clinicians who will share their experiences and enhance each other’s learning.

Clinicians who gain the University of Melbourne SCCL will be valued for their commitment to clinical leadership and their acquisition of skills that allow for the effective leadership of health organisations.The SCCL comprises two core subjects:

1) Leadership in the Clinical Setting and 2) Leading Healthcare Change for Impact.

Course delivery will be through a combination of face-to-face intensive periods of teaching, supported by on-line resources.

Assessments will be oriented towards outcomes that demonstrate the learning of leadership best practice within the clinical setting, and the ability to apply this learning to the clinical workplace.

Course structure

The course will consist of 2 core subjects:

• PADM90013 Leadership in the Clinical Settings (12.5 credit points)
• PADM90014 Leading Healthcare Change for Impact (12.5 credit points)

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

either

• an entry-to-practice undergraduate degree or equivalent in a health discipline, or
• an undergraduate degree in any discipline and at least 3 years of documented relevant clinical work experience in medicine, allied health, science or social science.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic qualifications and performance; and/or
• professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

Leadership in the Clinical Setting must be completed prior to the commencement of Leading Healthcare Change for Impact.

Intended learning outcomes

Graduates should be able to:

• Demonstrate an analytical and reflective approach to their clinical leadership
• Navigate and influence their healthcare system in order to fund initiatives
• Initiate and implement constructive change within their healthcare organisations
• Lead improvements in patient quality and safety through effective innovation
• Understand the unique and common challenges and approaches involved in managing, developing and coaching others within the clinical context
• Be aware of their strengths and weaknesses as a clinical leader and be prepared to collaborate accordingly
• Collaborate with practitioners from other health disciplines to achieve best outcomes for their patients and organisations
• Appreciate the importance of exchanging feedback, support and assistance with colleagues