Students' expectations of clinical teachers

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiologic Technology
• Allied Health Professions

Background:

• Clinical instructors are vital for health care education, including radiation therapy.
• Existing literature lacks studies on radiation therapy students' expectations of clinical instructors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess radiation therapy students' expectations of their clinical instructors.
• To identify common expectations and explore relationships between student groups.

Main Methods:

• A national survey was administered to 282 radiation therapy students across 61 programs in 28 states.
• Survey data were analyzed to determine student expectations and significant relationships.

Main Results:

• The primary expectation for first-, second-, and third-year students was instructors taking time to explain procedures and answer questions.
• Fourth-year students most commonly expected clinical instructors to model professionalism.

Conclusions:

• Radiation therapy students' expectations of clinical instructors evolve with their academic progression.
• Addressing student expectations is crucial for effective clinical education and professional development in radiation therapy.