What to Do Today? Why Not Take on the AMTA Professional competencies?

I am thinking about what to do today as I sit in a pretty, purple bedroom waiting for my mother to awaken and signal that the day has officially started. There are several things that I know will happen. My father will want to go out to eat breakfast (I'm already full from dinner last night), we will grocery shop, go to the 99.99 cent store, and then come home. After that, my mother and sister will leave for their day of shopping, and I'll stay home with Dad. Usually my Dad calls me on the phone to share the experience of shopping and stuff while my Mom goes into the 99.99 cent store, but he won't do that today. Not with me in the backseat of the car...that would be ridiculous. On the other hand...

While Mom and Sister go out shopping (they go wherever the wind takes them, and I get REALLY cranky after going to three stores so they leave me, happily, behind), I am going to pick my Dad's brain about how to set up a new form for the AMTA Professional Competencies. I have a set of operational definitions that I use for evaluating my interns' progress towards competence as an entry-level clinician, and it is time to update that into something a bit more user-friendly. I am wondering if I could make an app or something that could be used in the moment with an intern. Hmmm. I have little to no experience making an app, so some research and consultation are in order here.

Here is what I am thinking about...

I want to have a database that links all the competencies to my operational definitions. I want to be able to give feedback about the competencies addressed during sessions as well as those that are addressed in other areas of professional interactions as well. I want to be able to finish specific competencies when certain projects and assignments are completed, and I want to be able to print out a product when it's mid-term and final times. I also want to be able to write comments and track progress across time. Does that sound like a lot? Probably is, but you might as well dream BIG if you are going to dream at all!

So, how do I get there?

I have no clue right now, but I will start to figure this process out. There have to be ways to make this into something that I can use on a daily basis and then, maybe, share with others? Wouldn't it be neat to have an outline of what a student should (GOBLIN) be able to do at the end of each of his or her pre-internship clinical experiences (AKA practica) as well as in each part of the internship clinical experience? I can only dream!!

I have the operational definitions. I have the new AMTA Professional Competencies. I have the idea. Now it's time to start putting it together in a way that makes sense to me and to others.

Oh, add to the list of things I want to be able to do - change the required definitions to match each individual student's personal goals as well as goals established by the clinical team.

Eeergh! This may be a bigger project than I can accomplish, but I won't know until I try.

At least I'll be entertained while everyone else goes about their regular routines!

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