Role-Emerging Clinical Placements in a Community-Based HIV Organization - Opportunities for Interprofessional...

We describe the development, implementation, and outcomes of role-emerging (RE) clinical placements at Positive Living Niagara (PLN), a community-based HIV organization (CBHIVO), for two second-year, entry-level Master of Science (Physiotherapy) (MSc[PT]) students from McMaster University. A national, not-for-profit organization, Realize, conducted outreach to identify CBHIVOs interested in developing physiotherapy (PT) student placements. PLN responded to the outreach and worked with McMaster's MSc(PT) programme and Realize to establish two part-time RE PT student placements. The placement description and expectations were developed collaboratively by PLN, Realize, and the MSc(PT) programme. All PT students participating in their third 6-week clinical placement were eligible to apply. A registered occupational therapist and physiotherapist and PLN's programme services manager participated in a shared model to supervise the students' clinical and administrative activities. These first RE PT placements in a Canadian CBHIVO were completed between November and December 2016. The evaluation of the student and placement included a learning contract and the Canadian Physiotherapy Assessment of Clinical Performance. Over 6 weeks, the students collaborated with people living with HIV (PLWHIV) who were members of PLN to identify a role for physiotherapists at PLN and led two health promotion workshops for PLN's members and staff. The RE PT placement identified future opportunities for physiotherapists at PLN. The experience also influenced one student's decision to apply after graduation for a newly created PT position that included working with PLWHIV.