Clinical Training - Practitioner Course ONLY

The clinical training programme comprises three main elements: case studying, practitioner development and apprenticeship.

Case studying

Teaching clinics

There is a very progressive feeling to the practical training at Purton House for this is arguably the most important area of all. From the first set of modules students are required to attend teaching clinics. These are not assessed but provide students with an excellent learning medium observing homeopaths working in “real life” clinics. For example at the clinics at Purton House there is a video connection between a consulting room and a classroom. Experienced homeopaths take cases of patients and a class of students observe, practising their note taking. Time is allocated between appointments for the homeopath to discuss the case with the students.

Case workshops

These differ significantly to teaching clinics, as a class of students will work a case together and are assessed in the written work they produce. In the earlier parts of the course case material will either be observed on video or by reading transcribed case notes. This is so the complexity of case and speed of delivery can be closely controlled to reflect the level of learning of the class. As students progress through the course they start to observe “live” cases being taken in front of the class. These case takings are invaluable examples of how to deal with patients, what signs and clues to look for and how best to gain crucial information.

Practitioner Development

The college places a great emphasis on the journey one needs to undertake from lay person to healer and this is taught in a number of ways at attendance workshops. Practitioner training exercises give the students the opportunity to experience both roles of patient and healer and also enhance the students' counselling skills through peer feedback and support.

The theme of the workshops varies but the format remains the same. Mornings explore the theme in relation to ourselves and to our patients; afternoons involve case taking or role-play of problem scenarios in triads of homeopath, patient and observer; the last hour is devoted to personal reflection and triad feedback. During the course themes will cover:

Unprejudiced observation, basic communication skills and case-taking skills.

Stages of life and triad work; how the disease process interfaces with health maintenance and triad work.
Experiential workshops.
The therapeutic relationship and triad work.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is a process of familiarising students with the various aspects of setting up and being in practice e.g. dealing with the public, finding appropriate patients, booking appointments, welcoming patients, taking fees, ongoing case management and such like. It is the first step from being a student to becoming a professional. Students are apprenticed to a qualified homeopath and it is the student's responsibility to find patients and set up appointments with the homeopath. The homeopath, as a part of their own continuing professional development, takes the patient's case involving the student with the repertorisation, case analysis and patient management. As the student progresses under apprenticeship they will be required to conduct some actual case taking of their own. Students who have involved themselves with this scheme have, without exception, found the step of taking cases under supervision in the final stage of the course much easier to make. Thus, it is now, an integral part of the clinical training programme.