The benefits and barriers of hosting students within allied health private practice settings: The perspective of private practice and clinical education coordinators

Abstract

Background: Allied health graduates are increasingly employed in private practice settings despite limited placement opportunities during training. Understanding the benefits and barriers of hosting allied health student placements is an important step in supporting initiatives to expand clinical placement capacity within this sector. Aims: This study aimed to explore the benefits and barriers of hosting allied health students within private practice organisations from the perspective of practices who currently, have previously, and who have never hosted students and university clinical education coordinators. Methods: A thematic analytical approach was applied to interview data (private practices n=26) and focus group data (clinical education coordinators n=13) and a thematic network tool was used to determine common themes. Results: Three overarching themes were generated: 1) Local and wider perceived value of placements, 2) Challenges and concerns, and 3) Weighing up. Conclusion: The findings of this study have highlighted a range of benefits and challenges of hosting students that are carefully weighed up by practices within allied health professions. The perceived benefits to the practice and staff, as well as the wider professions are weighed up against the required resources of time, physical spaces and opportunities for students to participate in client care.