Investigating New Zealand radiation therapy student perceptions about their degree curriculum

Paul Kane; Tehmina Gladman; Sarah Stein; Julie A Timmermans

doi:10.1186/s12909-022-03973-9

Investigating New Zealand radiation therapy student perceptions about their degree curriculum

BMC Med Educ. 2022 Dec 23;22(1):892. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03973-9.

Authors

Paul Kane¹, Tehmina Gladman², Sarah Stein³, Julie A Timmermans⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Otago Wellington, 23A Mein Street, Newtown, Wellington, 6242, New Zealand. paul.kane@otago.ac.nz.
² Medical Education Unit, University of Otago Wellington, 23A Mein Street, Newtown, Wellington, 6242, New Zealand.
³ Distance Learning, University of Otago, 145 Union Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.
⁴ Higher Education Development Centre, University of Otago, 362 Leith Street, Dunedin North, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.

Abstract

Background: Radiation Therapists (RTs) are a key professional grouping in the delivery of health services for cancer patients. The education of RTs in New Zealand has evolved in response to regulatory and clinical workforce requirements. To date, it has lacked a fundamental underpinning of educational theory. Stakeholders, including students, were canvassed for their perspectives on the drivers behind the current curriculum with a view to developing theory which could shape future curricular development.

Methods: A focus group was conducted with eight student RTs enrolled at the time of the study. A process driven by Constructivist Grounded Theory principles was adopted for the analysis of the resulting data.

Results: Four themes were established to represent the data: "Being" is prized over "doing", Change is inevitable, A framework for Professional Identity formation and Modelling is key to learning.

Conclusions: There is utility in exploring the student perspective around curriculum. The data suggest that students on this programme are engaged with the process of preparing for practice and the connected learning experiences. There is a focus on the patient and the personal values and qualities which result from that focus. While specialist knowledge and technical skills are required for delivering patient care, it is fully expected those aspects of the clinical role will significantly change over time. Even at this early stage in their careers, students recognise the development and need for professional identity formation. Role models are perceived to be a vital part of student learning, be they positive or negative. Scrutiny of the study findings provides reason to question some assumptions which are sometimes made about student practitioners based on factors such as age and gender and the assumed universal ability of practitioners to teach the next generation. The perspectives gained inform the next stage of data collection from this group and theory building that will be reported outside the confines of this article.

Keywords: Curriculum; Education; Grounded theory; Health professional; Radiation therapist; Student experience.

MeSH terms

Curriculum*
Focus Groups
Humans
Learning
New Zealand
Students*