The learning experiences and perspectives of physiotherapy students during community-based education placements

Excerpt

Background: Community-based education (CBE) can facilitate the integration of theory into practice. It provides the opportunity for students to plan and participate in community-based health care delivery activities. Students’ experiences and perceptions influence their learning. Therefore, it is important to investigate the factors that influence students’ learning during CBE, which may inform curriculum development.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of physiotherapy students regarding their learning experiences, challenges and factors that influenced their learning experiences during CBE placements.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive case study with an interpretive approach was conducted. All enrolled final-year undergraduate (UG) physiotherapy students at one institution were eligible to participate. Four focus group discussions (FGDs) with 6–10 students per focus group were conducted. Inductive, thematic content analysis was used to develop the main themes.

Findings: Twenty-seven (84%) of the eligible students participated in the FGDs. The main themes identified were that CBE provided a distinct and authentic context for learning. The variety of learning opportunities facilitated and challenged the learning process, shaping the personal and professional development of the participants. The design of the CBE offering and the model of supervision influenced their learning. The participants felt that they had made a positive difference in the lives of others.

Conclusion: Community-based education provided valuable learning opportunities that led to personal and professional development by fostering interprofessional learning and creating awareness of the influence of social determinants of health (SDH). The nature of the learning activities, the learning environment and the organisation of the placement influenced learning, and each had its unique challenges. Further research is advocated to investigate the students’ impact on community-based health care services.