University College London

Trainee support

Trainees are offered a range of support throughout the course:

Individual course tutor: 

• Trainees will be paired with a member of course staff who they will meet at least once a term. 
• This person usually remains the same for the duration of the course.
• They provide support across all aspects of the course including academic, research, clinical, professional development and personal support.   

Mid-placement review visitor:

• Trainees have a mid-placement review visitor. This tends to be the same person as the trainee’s course tutor, but in some instances will be clinical psychologists who work in the region and have an honorary contract with the course (Associate Clinical Tutors).
• The mid-placement review visitor will review each 6-month placement period with the trainee and their placement supervisor(s), and should there be any concerns regarding the placement (either from the trainee or the supervisor), they would provide support and guidance on how these will be addressed.

Buddies in the year above

• Trainees are grouped into smaller subgroups within their year group and are paired with trainees in the year above. 
• The trainees in the year above are able to offer advice and support in relation to all aspects of training, but we do note that any concerns or queries should also be raised with course tutors

Independent personal advisors (IPAs)

• The course offers trainees the opportunity to an independent personal advisor scheme
• These are clinical psychologists who have signed up to provide support and act as an external reference point independent of the course and of evaluation
• It is confidential and offers continuity of support
• They can offer a place to reflect, to review progress, to think about personal significance of work and discuss plans and aspirations.
• Some IPAs offer support specifically for trainees with protected identities e.g., LGBTQ+, racially minoritised trainees, trainees with disabilities.
• Please note, it is not therapy, supervision or assessment.

Research supervisor

• Trainees choose their major research project early in the first year of training 
• Primary research supervisors can be chosen from course staff, other UCL departments, or from the wider community of clinical researchers. This means we can offer projects across a wide range of topics, methodologies and populations.
• Sometimes trainees might also have a secondary supervisor on their project who may be internal or external to the course
• The research supervisor provides guidance and support on the major research project and helping trainees develop their research skills through their project

Placement supervisors

• For each placement, trainees will have a named primary supervisor who will provide them with a minimum of 60 minute per week of formal clinical supervision
• For some placements, trainees will have more than one supervisor
• Placement supervisors provide support for professional development, alongside evaluating the trainee’s competence 

University disability service

• UCL offers a range of support for students with disabilities. Please see this webpage for full details

University student psychology services

• UCL offers students free short-term psychological therapy (CBT or counselling) via the student psychology services. Please see this webpage for full details

Personal therapy

• As part of induction and within our training handbook, we provide trainees with information on various sources of personal therapy. Trainees do at times also discuss this with their course tutor for advice on seeking personal therapy.

Directory of support for racially minoritised trainees

• The UCL HEE Action Plan working group, along with key partners have developed a list of external sources of support for racially minoritised trainees that is available to them via the course website.

Peer support spaces for minoritised trainees

• There are currently twice termly, peer facilitated, timetabled, peer support spaces for racially minoritised trainees, across all three years of training. These are supported with supervision/consultation from staff.
• The course supports innovative spaces and sharing of resources which different cohorts have developed and utilised.
• The course is in the ongoing process of exploring and co-developing a scaffolded model for peer support spaces for trainees, related to marginalised identities.

Contacts of previous international trainees for international trainees

• We have a database of international alumni who have provided contact details for current international trainees. This is to provide support including advice and contacts for jobs post qualification.

Video

Please see this video about the course which includes perspectives of course staff and trainees involved in our course,

Trainee Feedback

Trainees are able to provide regular feedback on their experience of training and the course. This is via a number of different routes:

• Relevant course committees which are attended by cohort nominated trainee representatives and other key stakeholders e.g., experts by experience and course staff 
• Feedback surveys related to teaching sessions
• The mid and end of placement review procedures for experiences of placements

Trainees and staff work collaboratively to incorporate feedback into the ongoing development of the course