The Capstone Experience consists of a non-clinical mentorship opportunity in a health setting. Students complete a minimum of 100 hours under the supervision of one or more approved professional mentors.

This self-directed experience is unique to each learner and allows students to integrate theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and abilities while developing selected competencies, including:

• Interprofessional collaboration
• Self-awareness and reflexivity
• Critical reasoning and problem-solving
• Evidence-based leadership
• Systems thinking
• Applied expertise

Students will consult with their professional mentor and Capstone Advisor to determine the learning objectives and goals for the duration of the Capstone Experience.

Students identify potential mentorship opportunities within their own community, academic setting and/or work environment. A mentor may be someone from the student’s existing professional network. Some students who are employed in the health field have used the Capstone Experience as a professional development opportunity at their current place of employment. Others have arranged experiences across the health sector in areas such as research, education, clinical practice, government or regulatory organizations, and commercial settings ranging from startups to large health companies.

Previous students have worked with physicians, physiotherapists, hospital administrators, researchers and organizations such as Canadian Blood Services. Projects often involve policy or program evaluation, policy or program development, quality improvement, research data collection, scoping or systematic reviews, and leadership or management experience.

Students work on their Capstone Experience throughout the year and enrol in the Capstone course during each academic term.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successfully completing the program, students should have the ability to:

• To locate and critically analyze the scientific literature to inform decision making in your field
• To formulate research questions that are unique and advance the science in your field
• To design clinical research using the appropriate methods to test research questions
• To synthesize relevant literature to create evidence informed recommendations in your field
• To build and lead research teams and build and maintain research infrastructure
• To write grant proposals to funding organizations for clinical and methodologic research
• To communicate and apply ethical principles and practices in research activities
• To develop communication and dissemination strategies for knowledge production from clinical research
• To develop iterative self-reflection skills for continued life-long learning

As a student in Advanced Health Care Practice master's program, you're eligible for advanced standing toward the Certified Health Executive (CHE) designation.
The CHE is Canada's top professional leadership designation for healthcare leaders looking to expand their institutional leadership career.

Western is now a LEADS Canada certified learning provider supporting the CHE designation. The LEADS framework was established by the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) and addresses health leadership for individuals, organizations, and broader systems.

If you opt in to the CHE, you must complete the following:

• Submit a detailed project proposal by mid-September
• Complete APPLHSCI 9001 and APPLHSCI 9015
• Complete a LEADS 360 Assessment and 90-minute debriefing
• Complete a CHE-designed capstone experience that includes:
  • Meeting regularly with your CHE mentor
  • Developing an organizational change, strategic planning or program evaluation project
  • Organizing and facilitating a program-wide leadership day in collaboration with the other CHE students
    
    

For more information, email: ahcp@uwo.ca