Illuminating undergraduate experiential and situated learning in podiatry clinical placement provision at a UK school of podiatric medicine

Purpose: Situated and experiential learning methodologies are largely underresearched in relation to student experience and satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the perspectives of students studying on a BSc (Hons) Podiatry degree programme to establish perceptions of their experience in practice. Design/methodology/approach: Using an interpretivist methodological framework, Free Association Narrative Interviewing was used to provide an insight into the perceived impact that experiential learning in clinical placements had on undergraduate podiatry students. Findings: Students perceived that what could not be taught but what could be experienced, contributed much to the confidence that students had gained during their training and which they anticipated would be further developed during the initial years of their training in practice, particularly in the context of the NHS. Research limitations/implications: This is a study from which it is acknowledged that within the underpinning research design and methodology there is no scope for generalisability. Practical implications: The study highlights an appreciation for the implication and recognition of “tacit” knowledge, currently recognised in medical curricula as an asset which can aid a move towards higher order critical thinking skills. Social implications: Student acknowledgement of the need for emphasis on “soft skills” can be posited, in the context of this small-scale study as an appreciation for affective domain learning in the context of podiatric academic and clinical curricula. Originality/value: Limited information from the extant literature is available in relation to the illumination of podiatry student placement experiences, so this research contributes to an effectively underresearched field.