Developing clinical placements in times of scarcity

This article takes the position that the current shortage of clinical placements may be creating problems, but it can also be seen as an opportunity to reconsider the design of students' clinical experiences and the goals to be attained. It begins with a description of paradoxes in professional education. The following sections examine some of the considerations which need to be incorporated in the development of clinical placements and the way they are incorporated into health care courses. The considerations germane to clinical placement development include social participation in clinical settings, communities of learning, and consumer-centred inter-professional collaboration.