Welcome
Welcome to your Music Therapy placement at Monash Health. Please review the following information carefully prior to the commencement of your placement.
All Music Therapy placements at Monash Health are based at a primary clinical site and include opportunities for observations across our network of clinical sites.
The Music Therapy Service at Monash Health offers a range of placement opportunities for 1st year/2nd placement and 2nd year /3rd placement students.
Your Student Coordinator
Jaye Thompson　MTStudentCoord@monashhealth.org
Please note that you will be allocated a Clinical Supervisor approximately six weeks before the commencement of your placement. You will be notified of this information via email from the Music & Art Therapy Student Coordinator. This Clinical Supervisor is your first point of contact during your clinical placement. If you have any concerns and are unable to contact your Clinical Supervisor, please contact Jaye Thompson, Music & Art Therapy Student Coordinator.
Contact with Clinical Agencies
You will be contacted by the Music & Art Therapy Student Coordinator with details of your placement allocation and orientation requirements no later than six weeks prior to the commencement of your clinical placement at Monash Health. Please contact your Clinical Supervisor at your allocated site TWO WEEKS PRIOR to your placement commencement date.
Clinical Placement Hours
Clinical placement hours are usually from 8.30am – 4.00pm but this will be determined by your Clinical Supervisor.
Unplanned Absence
You are required to phone and speak to your Clinical Supervisor, or specified clinical contact, before your scheduled start time if you are too ill to attend the clinical placement. You will be required to provide a medical certificate for all absences resulting from illness. The University will be notified of the absence.
Uniform
Please abide by the professional dress code. Your student ID badge must be visible at all times.
Music Therapy Services Available for Clinical Placements
Monash Children’s Hospital, Clayton
The Music Therapy Team provides a clinical service within paediatrics at Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton. This is primarily an inpatient based service. The RMTs provide services across a range of clinical areas including; The Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, The Children’s Cancer Centre, Monash Newborns, Paediatric Intensive Care, Adolescent Health, Paediatric Medicine, Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Neurosurgery, and Respiratory & Renal.
The team has a close working relationship with the interdisciplinary paediatric allied health team and there are many opportunities for collaborative sessions to occur.
Kingston Centre
The Music Therapy Team at the Kingston Centre and provide services to a range of clinical areas including sub-acute inpatient neuro-rehabilitation, inpatient movement disorders and aged sub-acute rehabilitation and assessment.
The RMTs at the Kingston Centre work within the interdisciplinary model of care to address a diverse range of functional, cognitive and psychological goals. There are many opportunities for collaborative group or individual patient sessions to occur with other allied health team members.
McCulloch House
Music Therapy provides a clinical service at McCulloch House which is located at Monash Medical Centre, Clayton. McCulloch House is an in-patient, specialist supportive and palliative care unit for adults. The unit has 16 beds and operates as an acute facility with relatively short patient stays, specialising in symptom control, complex pain management, end of life care, and bereavement support.
The RMT at McCulloch House works collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team to provide services that support the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of individuals and families. Music Therapy works closely with Social Work and Spiritual Care Services to support aspects of the Bereavement Support Program and there may be opportunities for students to assist with this while undertaking their placement.
Casey Hospital
The Music Therapy Team provides service to a range of adult inpatient clinical areas located at Casey Hospital including acute general medicine and palliative care, sub-acute rehabilitation, and intensive care.
The RMTs at the Casey Hospital work within the interdisciplinary model of care to address a diverse range of functional, cognitive, psychological goals, social, emotional and spiritual goals.
Suggested preparation for clinical placements
Monash Health requires incoming students to complete a number of training modules before commencing clinical placements. Information regarding these modules will be provided to you by the Music & Art Therapy Student Coordinator six weeks before your placement commences. Additionally, you will be provided with information outlining suggested reading and required repertoire six weeks prior to your commencement date. Please undertake the required reading and learn the recommended song repertoire before you start clinical placement. Please also contact your allocated Clinical Supervisor two weeks prior to the commencement of your placement to receive any additional pre-placement preparation. Please ensure you are familiar with the Student Orientation Website prior to commencing placement.
Instruments such as guitars, keyboards and some percussion will be available for your use on placement and therefore you do not need to bring in your own instruments.
Observation placements
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer observation placements.
Work Experience
The music therapy service does not accept work experience students. Please contact the Victorian branch of the Australian Music Therapy Association for more information about work experience opportunities: vicbranch.enquiries@gmail.com