TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors of professional placement outcome
T2 - Cultural background, English speaking and international student status
AU - Attrill, Stacie
AU - McAllister, Sue
AU - Lincoln, Michelle
PY - 2016/8
Y1 - 2016/8
N2 - Placements provide opportunities for students to develop practice skills in professional settings. Learning in placements may be challenging for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students, international students, or those without sufficient English proficiency for professional practice. This study investigated whether these factors, which are hypothesized to influence acculturation, predict poor placement outcome. Placement outcome data were collected for 854 students who completed 2747 placements. Placement outcome was categorized into ‘Pass’ or ‘At risk’ categories. Multilevel binomial regression analysis was used to determine whether being CALD, an international student, speaking ‘English as an additional language’, or a ‘Language other than English at home’ predicted placement outcome. In multiple multilevel analysis speaking English as an additional language and being an international student were significant predictors of ‘at risk’ placements, but other variables tested were not. Effect sizes were small indicating untested factors also influenced placement outcome. These results suggest that students’ English as an additional language or international student status influences success in placements. The extent of acculturation may explain the differences in placement outcome for the groups tested. This suggests that learning needs for placement may differ for students undertaking more acculturative adjustments. Further research is needed to understand this and to identify placement support strategies.
AB - Placements provide opportunities for students to develop practice skills in professional settings. Learning in placements may be challenging for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students, international students, or those without sufficient English proficiency for professional practice. This study investigated whether these factors, which are hypothesized to influence acculturation, predict poor placement outcome. Placement outcome data were collected for 854 students who completed 2747 placements. Placement outcome was categorized into ‘Pass’ or ‘At risk’ categories. Multilevel binomial regression analysis was used to determine whether being CALD, an international student, speaking ‘English as an additional language’, or a ‘Language other than English at home’ predicted placement outcome. In multiple multilevel analysis speaking English as an additional language and being an international student were significant predictors of ‘at risk’ placements, but other variables tested were not. Effect sizes were small indicating untested factors also influenced placement outcome. These results suggest that students’ English as an additional language or international student status influences success in placements. The extent of acculturation may explain the differences in placement outcome for the groups tested. This suggests that learning needs for placement may differ for students undertaking more acculturative adjustments. Further research is needed to understand this and to identify placement support strategies.
KW - Acculturation theory
KW - Clinical education
KW - International student
KW - Placement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019777894&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/predictors-professional-placement-outcome-cultural-background-english-speaking-international-student
U2 - 10.1007/s40037-016-0289-x
DO - 10.1007/s40037-016-0289-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85019777894
SN - 2212-2761
VL - 5
SP - 222
EP - 230
JO - Perspectives on Medical Education
JF - Perspectives on Medical Education
IS - 4
ER -