Experiences and perceptions of occupational therapy and physiotherapy practice education in research settings

Practice education is an essential component of occupational therapy programmes in Australia, providing supervised opportunities for students to develop skills across diverse practice settings. Rising student enrolments have intensified pressure on universities to secure sufficient practice education opportunities, prompting exploration of alternative models and emerging settings. The research setting, with supervision provided by occupational therapists working in research roles, presents a promising but under-utilised option for practice education.

This study aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of occupational therapy and physiotherapy students, practitioners, and university educators on placements in a research setting.

Semi-structured interviews (n = 30) were conducted with occupational therapy and physiotherapy students, practitioners with experience working in research-specific roles, and university educators. The Theoretical Domains Framework guided the development of the interview schedules. Participants were recruited using purposeful and snowball sampling. Data were analysed thematically.

The interview schedule was developed in consultation with research practitioners and university educators.

Practice education is occurring within research settings, though it is not yet common, with generally positive perceptions reported among those involved. Participants viewed these placements as an opportunity to strengthen research confidence, develop research readiness, and generate interest, alongside meeting core placement competencies. For some participants, practice education in a research setting was a new concept. University educators questioned whether all research settings could satisfy accreditation requirements. Seven themes were identified: research confidence, professional responsibility, sparking interest, missed opportunity, accreditation requirements, fear of missing out on client contact, and risks to the research quality.

Utilisation of the research setting for practice education may strengthen students' understanding of how evidence is generated and translated into practice, helping to address persistent concerns about low research confidence and engagement. Effective implementation will require collaboratively developed models that reflect the needs of all stakeholders. Ongoing trial and evaluation are essential to determine feasibility, educational value, and impact.