The Durban university of technology faculty of health sciences decentralized clinical training project: protocol for an Implementation study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JMIR Publications Inc.
Abstract
Background: The Durban university of technology (DUT) faculty of health sciences (FHS) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is embarking on a project to implement a decentralized clinical training program (DCTP). The DUT FHS DCTP project is being conducted in response to the growing demands of students requiring clinical service placements as part of work-integrated learning. The project is also geared toward responding to existing gaps in current practices related to the implementation of a DCTP, which has mainly been through traditional universities providing training to medical, optometry, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy students. In South Africa, a DCTP is yet to be implemented within the context of a university of technology; it is yet to be implemented within health science faculties that offer undergraduate health science programs in mainstream biomedicine and alternative and complementary disciplines. Objective: We aim to design, pilot, and establish an effective DCTP at the DUT FHS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: Participatory action research comprising various designs-namely, appreciative inquiry, qualitative case study design, phenomenography, and descriptive qualitative study design-will be used to conduct the study. Data will be collected using individual interviews, focus group discussions, nominal group technique, consensus methodology, and narrative inquiry. Study participants will include various internal and external stakeholders of the DUT, namely, academic staff; students; key informants from universities currently using successfully established DCTPs; academic support staff; staff working in human resources, finance, procurement, and accounting; and experts in other disciplines such as engineering and information systems.
Description
Keywords
Clinical education, Curriculum, Decentralized clinical training programs, Health science education, Higher education
Citation
Nxumalo, C.T., Pillay, P. and Mchunu, G.G., 2024. The Durban University of Technology Faculty of Health Sciences Decentralized Clinical Training Project: Protocol for an Implementation Study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. JMIR Research Protocols, 13(1), p.e52243.