Student-led rehabilitation groups and clinics in entry-level health education: a scoping review

Abstract

Student-led rehabilitation groups and clinics in entry-level health education: a scoping review Abstract<level 1 heading>Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify, map, and describe the characteristics of student-led physical rehabilitation groups and clinics in entry-level health education. Introduction:Student-led groups and clinics for physical rehabilitation are an emergent phenomenon in entry-level health professional education. Data gathered in this scoping review aimed to provide an understanding of the range and scope of student-led groups and clinics within a physical rehabilitation context and establish the evaluation undertaken to date from a student, service user, and stakeholder perspective. It also aimed to identify other important factors in the design, execution, and feasibility of the concept. Finally, it aimed to identify gaps in the literature that can be addressed by further research.Inclusion criteria: This scoping review considered studies and sources that identify studentled methods for carrying out physical rehabilitation for service users in either an exercise group or clinic environment. Students and groups/clinics on entry-level qualifying courses were considered. The review considered primary and secondary research in any paradigm as well as text and opinion articles. Methods:The JBI methodology for conducting scoping reviews was employed. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, ERIC, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus. Searches were limited to January 1, 1998 to the day of the search (November 1, 2019). Non-English articles were excluded. To supplement the review, searches for gray literature were also undertaken. Data extraction was performed by two reviewers using a pre-determined data extraction form developed by the authors. Results:The results of the review are presented in narrative form and supported by tables and figures. This review identified 523 sources of information of which 111 were screened at full-text stage and 48 sources were eligible to be included in the final scoping review. A wide range of student-led groups and clinics that provide physical rehabilitation exist globally. Drivers for the clinics and groups vary; key aims included providing a learning environment for student skill development, serving as clinical placements, and providing a social enterprise. Evaluations focused on student experience, service user experience, and cost-benefit analyses.Conclusions: Student-led groups and clinics are at very different stages of development and use within entry-level curricula. The objectives and drivers for groups and clinics vary immensely worldwide, and therefore the evolution of groups and clinics has driven a wide and varied number of models globally.

Students' perceptions of a UK physiotherapy student‐led clinic

“…Known as student‐run, student‐led groups or clinics, 2 hereafter referred to as SLCs, such services undertake a mode of delivery whereby students take primary responsibility for the operational delivery of healthcare 3 . This may be in the form of a clinic or a group, 4 or as a health intervention, for example, for those with cardiovascular disease 5 . Delivered in a uni or interprofessional format for pre‐registration health professionals, a recent scoping review found that the aims of SLCs for pre‐registration education included enhancing the curriculum, providing clinical placement hours, which can be included as part of degree requirements, or for altruistic reasons 4 .…”

“…This may be in the form of a clinic or a group, 4 or as a health intervention, for example, for those with cardiovascular disease 5 . Delivered in a uni or interprofessional format for pre‐registration health professionals, a recent scoping review found that the aims of SLCs for pre‐registration education included enhancing the curriculum, providing clinical placement hours, which can be included as part of degree requirements, or for altruistic reasons 4 . Other reported aims include providing a service for population health and well‐being 6 and promoting social enterprise 7 .…”

“…SLCs are increasingly becoming a model in physiotherapy pre‐registration education 11 ; however, this is a developing area, with studies mainly published in the United States (US), Australia and Canada with few in Europe 4 . SLCs in physiotherapy provide a physical rehabilitation intervention, 4 and whilst there are some similarities in the aims and design of SLCs for other health professions, there are different considerations to those SLCs delivered by, for example, nursing or medical students, which have an interventional or diagnostic focus. Physiotherapy SLCs in existence range from experiences that are integrated within and provided as part of the curriculum, provide clinical placement hours or are offered as extra‐curricular volunteering opportunities 4 .…”

“…SLCs in physiotherapy provide a physical rehabilitation intervention, 4 and whilst there are some similarities in the aims and design of SLCs for other health professions, there are different considerations to those SLCs delivered by, for example, nursing or medical students, which have an interventional or diagnostic focus. Physiotherapy SLCs in existence range from experiences that are integrated within and provided as part of the curriculum, provide clinical placement hours or are offered as extra‐curricular volunteering opportunities 4 . SLCs for physiotherapy are designed to fulfil a variety of outcomes, including providing a clinical experience, 9 developing clinical skills, 12 meeting unmet population needs (altruism) 13 or providing an educational experience 14 .…”

Patient Outcomes from Student-Run Health Services: An Integrative Review

“…Earlier reviews have examined the learning outcomes that result for students involved in such clinics. 13–15 Smaller-scale reviews have also been published on health outcomes specifically for SRC patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors 16 and on student-delivered care in a physical rehabilitation context, 17 but the totality of evidence related to patient outcomes for patients in SRCs has not yet been systematically explored. Seeking to address this gap in knowledge, this integrative review aims to synthesize literature evaluating clinical patient outcomes of SRCs.…”