Examining International Clinical Internships for Canadian Physical Therapy Students from 1997 to 2007

Abstract

Purpose: To describe international clinical internships (ICIs) for Canadian physical therapy (PT) students, explore the experiences of individuals involved in ICIs, and develop recommendations for future ICIs based on these findings. Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods approach. An online questionnaire surveyed academic coordinators of clinical education (ACCEs, n ¼ 14) on the availability, destinations, and number of ICIs from 1997 to 2007. Semi-structured telephone interviews were then conducted with eight PT students, seven ACCEs, and three supervising clinicians to investigate their ICI experiences. Interview transcripts were coded descriptively and thematically using NVivo. Results: ICIs are currently available at 12 of 14 Canadian PT schools. A total of 313 students participated in ICIs in 51 different destination countries from 1997 to 2007. Over this period, increasing numbers of students participated in ICIs and developing countries represented an increasing proportion of ICI destinations. Key themes identified in the interviews were opportunities, challenges, and facilitating factors. Conclusions: ICIs present unique opportunities for Canadian PT students. Recommendations to enhance the quality of future ICIs are (1) clearly defined objectives for ICIs, (2) additional follow-up post-ICI, and (3) improved record keeping and sharing of information on ICI destination countries and host sites. RÉ SUMÉObjectif : Dé crire les stages cliniques internationaux pour les é tudiants en physiothé rapie canadiens, explorer les expé riences vé cues par les personnes qui ont participé à de tels stages et formuler des recommandations pour les futurs stages internationaux à partir des constatations obtenues. Mé thode : Cette é tude a eu recours à des mé thodologies mixtes. Un questionnaire en ligne a permis d'effectuer un sondage auprè s de coordonnateurs de la formation clinique des université s (CFCUs, n ¼ 14) portant sur la disponibilité , les destinations et les quantité s de stages internationaux disponibles de 1997 à 2007. Des entrevues té lé phoniques semi-structuré es ont ensuite é té ré alisé es auprè s de 8 é tudiants en physiothé rapie, de 7 coordonnateurs de la formation clinique en milieu universitaire et de 3 cliniciens superviseurs de stage afin d'en savoir plus sur leur expé rience de tels stages. La transcription de ces entrevues a é té codé e par description et par thè me à l'aide du logiciel NVivo. Ré sultats : Des stages cliniques internationaux sont pré sentement offerts dans 12 des 14 é coles de physiothé rapie au Canada. Au total, de 1997 à 2007, 313 é tudiants ont pris part à de tels stages, qui ont eu lieu dans 51 pays. Au cours de cette pé riode, un nombre croissant d'é lè ves ont participé à des stages cliniques internationaux. Les stages dans des pays en dé veloppement forment une plus grande proportion des destinations pour ces types de stages. Les grands thè mes é voqué s dans les entrevues ont é té les possibilité s offertes par de tels stages, les dé fis et les facteurs ...

Perfil da Fisioterapia Esportiva nas Instituições de Ensino Superior do Brasil

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How are Canadian universities training and supporting undergraduate medical, physiotherapy and occupational therapy students for global health experiences in international low-resource settings?

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