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No abstract

Workplace preparation is increasingly part of university curricula and this has led to the appointment of staff with professional practice expertise being appointed to teach, who are experienced professionals yet HE novices. How do they make sense of HE's expectations and begin to reconcile their identity as educators with the credibility their practice expertise confers? The paper draws on sociocultural perspectives of Communities of Practice, framing identity development as a process of intertwined trajectories between the different communities an individual is involved with. It seeks to illuminate the affective impact of socialisation experiences and implications for academic development.

The Institute of Psychiatry accepts approximately 30 postgraduate students each year from overseas countries. The composition varies, largely as a result of international economic changes, and since 1977 students from 60 countries have attended (Appleby & Araya, 1990). Knowledge of English also varies and can influence the training of a student in many ways. Difficulties in understanding and communicating with patients, colleagues and teachers can adversely affect study, clinical practice and examination performance. MRCPsych results are poorer for non-UK than for UK doctors (Cawley, 1986): one reason may be poor communication.