Burden or bonus? The impact of medical student placements on health services

Abstract

Introduction: Workplace learning plays a key role in developing work-ready medical graduates. The literature has focussed on how students learn in these complex settings with little research exploring the costs and benefits of student placements for different stakeholders. Aim: This study identified the perceived costs and benefits of medical student clinical placements for multiple stakeholders in the healthcare system. Methods: The study, funded by the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand, was conducted at a large outer metropolitan healthcare service. Data collection included observation of students, activity profiling, focus groups, and interviews with a range of stakeholders. ..