Increasing student placement practice-based learning opportunities in private practice

CSP professional adviser Sara Conroy said: ‘We saw this as a fantastic opportunity for us to work collaboratively and offer students the opportunity to explore this.

To grow practice-based learning opportunities and ensure we have the necessary capacity we need to think differently.

‘Never have we seen such a fast pace of change and creativity in practice-based learning; there really is no such thing as a traditional placement anymore. While we have seen a rapid expansion in the type and model of practice-based learning opportunities (leadership, virtual, research and project based), those working in the private sector have additional considerations to make.’

Sophie Allchin and Hana Omar are second year students on their first placement, exploring what the independent sector is and is not, the difference between this and the NHS and spending time talking to and learning from private physiotherapists, students who have been on placement in this sector and students who have not.

'Being my first placement I was nervous and didn’t really know what to expect,' said Sophie. 'I have learned so much through talking to many private practitioners and understanding all that is involved in running your own business.

'I would be really excited to get the opportunity to gain experience in the private sector.'

Hana said: 'Working in private practice isn't something that we’d talked about at university.

'I am loving being able to take all the learning to create resources to inform future learners and help private practitioners find ways to participate in practice-based learning opportunities.'