Student stress: an approach to coping at the interface between preclinical and clinical education

The transition from preclinical to clinical education can provoke stress in students. This paper describes the nature of stress and outlines the use of a 'clinical coping workshop' at the University of Queensland, to identify and examine the particular stresses on physiotherapy students facing this transitional experience. Much of the stress experienced by students relates to the new behavioural responses required of them. It is suggested that negotiating an acceptable contract, related to student and tutor behaviour as much as to educational outcomes, can be helpful and is applicable in the clinical environment. Mutual expectations need to be openly shared in this process.