Myotherapy student clinical placements: A review beyond the teaching clinic.

BACKGROUND: Student clinical placements can offer an enriching learning experience, better preparing "work ready" graduates; however, it is unknown whether the type of clinical placement undertaken impacts the learning experience. Myotherapy degrees differ in their clinical practicum units, dependant on the undergraduate program they have enrolled in to. External clinical placements are common in allied health professional qualifications, offering industry experience and professional development.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this literature review is to examine allied health placement models, identify dominant theories, best practice, advantages and disadvantages of external clinical placements. This paper discusses current clinical placements offered within the myotherapy undergraduate degrees, as well as exploring other allied health professions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: The review of other allied health professions may act as potential exemplars to develop an understanding of best practice around student clinical placements and how this can translate into improvements of existing myotherapy teaching programs. This summary may be useful to warrant further research into the development of myotherapy clinical education.