Abstract
BackgroundSystematic evaluations of clinical placements are rare, especially when offered alongside academic postgraduate courses. An evidence-based approach is important to allow pedagogically-driven provision, rather than that solely governed by opinion or market demand. Our evaluation assessed a voluntary clinical placement scheme allied to a mental health course.MethodsData were collected over academic years 2010/11– 2013/14, from participating students (n = 20 to 58) and clinician supervisors (n = 10–12), using a mixed-methods cross-sectional design. Quantitative evaluation captured information on uptake, dropout, resource use, attitudes and experience, using standardized (the Placement Evaluation Questionnaire; the Scale To Assess the Therapeutic Relationship – Clinical version and the University of Toronto Placement Supervisor Evaluation) and bespoke questionnaires and audit data. Qualitative evaluation comprised two focus groups (5 clinicians, 5 students), to investigate attitudes, experience, perceived benefits, disadvantages and desired future developments. Data were analysed using framework analysis to identify a priori and emergent themes.ResultsHigh uptake (around 70 placements per annum), low dropout (2–3 students per annum; 5 %) and positive focus group comments suggested placements successfully provided added value and catered sufficiently to student demand. Students’ responses confirmed that placements met expectations and the perception of benefit remained after completion with 70 % (n = 14) reporting an overall positive experience, 75 % (n = 15) reporting a pleasant learning experience, 60 % (n = 12) feeling that their clinical skills were enhanced and 85 % (n = 17) believing that it would benefit other students. Placements contributed the equivalent of seven full time unskilled posts per annum to local health care services. While qualitative data revealed perceived ‘mutual benefit’ for both students and clinicians, this was qualified by the inherent limitations of students’ time and expertise. Areas for development included fostering learning around professionalism and students’ confidence on placement.ConclusionsThe addition of healthcare placements to academic postgraduate taught courses can improve their attractiveness to applicants, benefit healthcare services and enhance students’ perception of their learning experiences. Well-positioned and supported placement learning opportunities could become a key differentiator for academic courses, over potential competitors. However, the actual implications for student employability and achievement remain to be established.
Highlights
Systematic evaluations of clinical placements are rare, especially when offered alongside academic postgraduate courses
The present paper reports an evaluation of the evolution of clinical placements as an optional addition to an academic postgraduate course, focusing on challenges and benefits for both students and clinicians
Uptake had stabilised by 2013/14 at around 70 placements per annum, catering for around three quarters of the cohort. These placements were typically provided by about 20 individual clinicians per annum, though considerably more (57 in 2013/14) made initial enquiries about the scheme each year. This pattern, which was consistent over the 3 cohorts (Table 1), indicated that the majority of initial contacts made by potentially interested clinicians did Resource use and contribution
Summary
Systematic evaluations of clinical placements are rare, especially when offered alongside academic postgraduate courses. Postgraduate academic courses offered in the health disciplines frequently provide practice placements, either as optional or compulsory components. Where placements are compulsory they are usually related to core clinical competencies required for a practitioner-oriented qualification and are subject to similar assessment requirements as the academic or theory-based course components. Where placements are optional, they are usually offered as ‘added value’ elements of a primarily academic course. We go on to describe and evaluate one example of this model, implemented alongside an academic mental health course. The purpose of our study was to demonstrate a methodology and communicate findings that could serve as a model for other courses wishing to supplement compulsory academic content with ‘added-value’ optional clinical opportunities and to provide some examples of how such enhancements can be usefully evaluated. We finish by concluding on the concrete benefits such opportunities offer, and identifying areas for future research, to extend the current evaluation
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