Physiotherapy students' perceptions of learning in clinical practice in Sweden and India

It is reasonable to assume that conditions for learning differ between universities and countries. Increased understanding of similarities and differences of student's perceptions of learning environment can be useful in the development of the physiotherapy education as well as of the profession as such. Through international comparisons the benefits and challenges of educational programmes can be made transparent and serve as base for improvement.

The objective of this study is to describe and compare physiotherapy students' perceptions of their learning environment in clinical practice in India and Sweden.

A questionnaire study was performed, covering physiotherapy students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment, the physiotherapy supervisor within the clinical context, their supervisory relationship and the role of the clinical supervisor at two Universities, Luleå in Sweden and Amity in New Delhi, India.

Undergraduate students at two physiotherapy programmes, in New Delhi, India and in Luleå, Sweden participated in the questionnaire study.

In general, both groups had high rankings of their perceptions of the clinical learning environment. The Swedish students ranked individual supervision, participation in meetings, the supervisor as a resource, being a part of the team and giving them valuable feedback higher than the Indian group. The supervisory relationship was equally satisfying in groups, providing valuable feedback and acknowledging equality and mutuality in the relationship. The Indian group ranked the supervisor as a colleague, as a support in learning, and that he/she made them feel comfortable in meetings higher than the Swedish group.

Both groups had high ratings of the supervisor and the clinical learning context Participation at meetings was higher rated in the Swedish and the supervisor as a support in learning higher rated of the Indian students.