Pre-registration student research placements within KNOWBEST: a service evaluation

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy Education
• Practice-Based Learning
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Traditional physiotherapy pre-registration placements are primarily clinical.
• Practice-based learning is expanding into research, leadership, and management settings.
• Limited information exists on research placements for physiotherapy students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and evaluate research placements for UK pre-registration physiotherapy students.
• To contribute to the understanding of research placements for higher education institutions (HEIs) and supervisors.
• To explore student and staff perspectives on research-based practice-based learning.

Main Methods:

• The KNOWBEST project incorporated research placements for five pre-registration physiotherapy students.
• Data collection involved placement content, student reflections, and evaluations from students, supervisors, and the Practice Team Lead.
• Qualitative analysis of experiences and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Students and staff reported highly positive experiences with research placements.
• Students valued the immersive experience, diverse learning opportunities, leadership roles, and transferable skill development.
• Students recognized how research placements improved their ability to deliver evidence-based practice.

Conclusions:

• Research placements are a valuable addition to physiotherapy pre-registration programs.
• These placements foster essential skills and enhance the connection between research and clinical practice.
• The findings offer insights for institutions planning to implement research placements, highlighting both benefits and challenges.