In February 2007, Laura Loftus joined the Speech and Language therapy team at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway) as the Practice Education Coordinator with overall responsibility for coordination of placements for the university and allocation of student placements.Previous to the post of Practice Education Coordinator Laura held a number of positions with the Health Service Executive (HSE) from 1998-2007 as a basic and senior Speech and Language Therapist. Her clinical experience saw her work with diverse client groups such asPCCC, intellectual impairments, autism and adult case loads. Lauras work experience prior to joining the university also included the pilot post of Regional Placement Facilitator during 2006-2007. During her years as a clinician Laura supported student placements from numerous colleges both inside and outside Ireland. This hands on experience and learning prepared and shaped her forher current role as the Practice Education Coordinator. Since joining the university Laura remains clinically active 1 day a week. In the post of Practice Education Coordinator Laura has responsibility for the ongoing development of the Practice Education modules across the Speech and Language Therapy programme. She prepares students prior to attending placements through workshops, tutorials, simulation practice and video work. Laura organizes and supports students during placements and has responsibility for the design of clinical and practical assessments. She has designed in consultation with colleagues from within and outside the department new and novel approaches to assessment such as Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE), Video podcasts, Seen and Unseen Clinical Examinations.Laura hason-going contact with her colleagues in the HSE, hospitals and voluntary agencies. She provides training and support to these Clinical Educators (CEs) through emailsphone callssite visits and CPD training. This ongoing contact helps to maintain the quality of external placements.Laura in collaboration with her colleague Margaret Roddenhave developed the onsite clinic at the University over the last 12 years. This clinic offers creative and alternative formats to clinical teaching. It provides fourth years with an opportunity to develop their skills of mentoring, third years an opportunity to develop knowledge of specialist areas, second years an opportunity to learn their foundation skills and first years an opportunity to be introduced to the profession. The clinic has led the way in promoting the benefits of shared placements, peer teaching and group teaching. The clinic provides excellent opportunities to assist students to link their theory and practice. During the Covid 19 pandemic telehealth and online simulation were introduced to the clinic to facilitate student learning.In 2015 along with her colleagues in TCD, UL and UCC an updated version of the Student Clinical Competency Evaluation Form was developed. This evaluation is used by all four universities. This ongoing collaborative work by the four Coordinators ensures that facilitating placements is made as stream lined and accessible for busy CEs as possible. This ongoing collaboration has led to inter-university research opportunities in the domain of Practice Education.Laura also supports her colleagues in the Department by contributing to curriculum development, teaching and assessment. She supports undergraduate final year projects. She coordinates with her colleagueDr. Ruth Mc Menaminthe MSc in Advanced Healthcare Practice and Research. She is currently supervising two MSc student projects. She is the Health and Safety Officer for the School of Health Sciences and is currently the School Covid officer.Her research interests to date have centered around student learning on placement in particular the challenges faced by students in this learning environment. She also has an interest in telehealth. She is pursuing a Professional Doctorate with Bath University since September 2016. Her MSc which was completed in 2009 focused on the role of feedback and learning.

Student teaching and learning in the clinic.Different approaches to clinical teaching.Action Research.Activity Theory.The role of feedback.Peer feedback.Models of feedback.Barriers to learning.

Clinical teaching