Clinical teaching and mentoring: vital in the development of competent therapists.

The needs of under-graduate students and newly qualified speech and language therapists (SLTs) are discussed. The results of a small-scale survey of final year SLT students and one of newly qualified therapists are presented. Similarities between clinical teaching of under-graduates and mentoring of newly qualified therapists are identified. The paper calls for a combined training course for experienced SLTs to acquire the core knowledge and skills required to carry out either or both roles effectively.