Pre-registration student research placements within knowbest: a service evaluation

Pre-registration student placements have traditionally been based in clinical settings. Recently,
practice-based learning has evolved to include additional settings, including research, leadership and
management. The KNOWBEST (Knowledge, Behaviours And Skills Required of the Modern
Physiotherapy Graduate) project incorporated research placements for five pre-registration
students. The aims of this project were to develop, implement and evaluate research placements
within a UK pre-registration physiotherapy program, to add to the limited information available for
HEI and supervisors. The paper includes placement content, reflections and evaluations from the
perspective of the students, supervisors and Practice Team Lead. Students and staff were highly
positive about research placements. Student’s spoke of the importance of their immersive
experience on placement, valuing the variety of learning experiences, opportunities to lead and the
development of transferable skills. Students found that research and clinical placements, whilst
different, were also similar in important ways. Students appreciated how research placements
developed their abilities to provide evidence-based practice as clinicians. This paper does not
provide definitive placement guidance, it provides information gleaned from direct experience for
teams planning research placements. It identifies and reports areas the team found challenging, to
facilitate discussion and debate as the profession actively diversifies and expands practice-based
learning.