Structuring Clinical Readiness through the CORE Model in CSD Graduate Education

This article introduces the CORE Clinical Orientation Model, a conceptual framework designed to support early clinical readiness in speech-language pathology graduate education. Grounded in the field's shift from traditional site-based apprenticeship models toward more structured, faculty-supported approaches, the model addresses documented variability in early clinical supervision and student preparedness. The CORE Model is organized around four interrelated pillars: Clinical Foundations, Ongoing Reflection, Rigorous Clinical Application, and Engaged & Intentional Mentorship. Although the model was developed alongside a graduate clinical orientation course, the course represents one implementation of the framework. This article describes the theoretical and professional foundations of the CORE Model, details its implementation within a community-based clinical orientation course at a Midwestern public university without an on-site clinic, and provides guidance for adaptation across programs. Within this implementation, students engaged in structured clinical preparation, guided reflection, faculty-supervised community-based practice, and developmental checkpoints that reinforced clinical reasoning and professional growth. Structured documentation and a standardized evaluation framework promoted accountability, reflective practice, and emerging clinical competence. The CORE Model offers a student-centered, replicable, and adaptable approach for strengthening the transition from coursework to external practicum while aligning with ASHA standards and principles of culturally responsive care.