Preaffiliation and postaffiliation concerns expressed by physical therapy students

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify clinical education concerns expressed by physical therapy students at a midwestern university. Twenty senior-level baccalaureate degree students participated in open-ended taped interviews conducted after the first five-week affiliation and before and after the next three five-week affiliations that were integrated into their programs of study. The most frequently expressed concerns regarded clinical techniques and interpersonal relationships. Concerns about clinical techniques were expressed most frequently before an affiliation. Concerns about personal interactions were expressed most frequently after an affiliation. Many of those students who expressed concerns about interpersonal relationships expressed the same concerns after consecutive affiliations. A difference existed between concerns expressed after an acute care affiliation and concerns expressed after a rehabilitation affiliation. Through the identification of student-expressed preaffiliation and postaffiliation concerns, student-educator interactions may be improved.