International clinical placements for undergraduate physiotherapy and allied health students: are they worth the resources invested?

Abstract

Background: Fieldwork or clinical placement has been an integral part of clinical training for Physiotherapy and other allied health students, not only to develop their clinical skills but to develop important attributes such as team work, communication and problem solving skills. With the current emphasis on Global Citizenship, the development of cultural competency and intercultural understanding, there is a growing trend to send students on overseas clinical placements. However, these international placements are often expensive (for the students) and resource intensive (for the university). Curtin University's Faculty of Health Sciences in Western Australia has a flagship international and interprofessional fieldwork program (Go Global) which is underpinned by a service-learning philosophy. Every year, Go Global sends about 100 allied health students overseas for a four-week placement either in hospitals or community-based health settings in China, India, Cambodia, the Ukraine, or the Philippines. Although many students often claimed the experience as ‘life-changing’, its benefits have not been systematically investigated.