Conformists or Dynamic Professionals:
What's the current image that students are identifying with as a result of English Allied Health Professional Higher Education programmes?

Author: Wright, Deborah

Source: Journal of Allied Health, Volume 37, Number 4, Winter 2008 , pp. 338E-353E(16)

Publisher: Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions

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Abstract:

How Allied Health Professional (AHP) students and educational providers within England are redefining professionalism is the focus of this small-scale case study. A single case-study design was used to explore how AHP students viewed how they had learnt to be professional. A literature review highlighted that professional socialisation and professional knowledge were both aspects of professionalism that individual health professionals adhere to; however, how English-based AHPs have benefited from becoming regulated by one professional body (Health Professions Council, HPC) is a fundamental question asked by the researcher, as there has been a drive both within the educational arena and health institutions for interprofessional and generic working.

Seven students at one London university, where they experienced interprofessional education (IPE), were engaged in semi-structured interviews and the researcher used a phenomenological approach to interpret the data. The findings showed that all the students defined professionalism in terms of generic skills associated with patient/client-centred care. This mainly conformed to what they were being taught, though they did not feel that IPE enhanced their learning. The students felt it was important to have an up-to-date knowledge base but thought that some of the theory taught was not relevant to their practice.

The study concludes that there needs to be greater collaboration between higher educational establishments and clinical partners to ensure students are given a relevant and consistent view of professionalism, which enhances not only their collaborative practice but also their independent professional integrity.

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Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2008-12-01

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The Journal of Allied Health is the official publication of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP). The Journal is the only interdisciplinary allied health periodical, publishing scholarly works related to research and development, feature articles, research abstracts and book reviews. Readers of the Journal comprise allied health leaders, educators, faculty and students.
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