We know that today’s graduates must develop competence in legal reasoning in areas such as disciplinary law: managing complaints made about them to AHPRA and, to allocations of negligence about their clinical practice in tort law. Anecdotal evidence suggests these areas are inconsistently addressed in curricula, leaving graduates who receive allegations or complaints vulnerable to stress, stigma, and career disruption, with catastrophic personal and professional consequences in some cases. We have an obligation to assist them to navigate such events: to help them prepare their defense.

Led by ANZAHPE Fellow Keri Moore, PhD, who is a registered health professional, clinical education specialist and academic lawyer, the SIG will formally commence with a March meeting to discuss Phase-One aims and deliverables culminating in a presentation at the 2027 Conference.

Aim

Through bi-monthly online discussions held over 18-Months, the SIG will engage ANZAHPE clinical educators and health law academics in a Community of Practice to:

1. Undertake a scoping study of current approaches to teaching and assessing students’ legal literacy in disciplinary law and tort law.

2. Develop a draft programmatic model for teaching and identify efficient, affordable, authentic, low-stress, and high-impact assessment tools for assessing the application of the students’ knowledge of disciplinary law and tort law within the clinical practicum.

Deliverable

Develop best-practice recommendations for a programmatic approach to embed legal reasoning about disciplinary law and tort law within the clinical practicum.

Dissemination of Results

• Presentation of intent at ANZAHPE 2026 and of outputs at the 2027 Conference
• A Special Edition of the Focus on Health Professional Education Journal around developing professionalism
• Ongoing dialogue via ANZAHPE networks