On the Importance of Direct Practice Experience Among Clinical Social Work Faculty: A Recent Graduate’s Perspective

Abstract Clinical social work is a mature specialty within the profession of social work, with its own distinct knowledge base, array of theories, and approaches to practice. Schools of social work are tasked with educating clinical social workers to practice competently, effectively, and ethically. One vital pedagogic tool that faculty members employ is drawing from their own direct practice experience, in order to provide guidance and context to students’ questions related to practice. This application of direct practice experience is fundamental to the development of novice clinical social work practitioners. Recent trends in social work education have led to a decline in the number of full-time professors at schools of social work who possess direct practice experience. At the same time, the number of faculty engaged in externally funded research, with limited direct practice experience, is increasing. In this paper, the author critically explores this changing paradigm from the perspective of a recent Masters-level social work graduate currently engaged in direct social work practice, and argues that faculty with extensive practice experience are an invaluable and necessary resource towards the formation of competent, effective, and ethical clinical social work practitioners.
Source: Clinical Social Work Journal - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research