Cultural learning during student paramedic international placement

Aim: To better understand how student paramedics experience international placement and how these experiences impact cultural competence. Background: To help overcome health inequalities and address the needs of all groups, it is essential that healthcare professionals exhibit cultural competence. The ability to provide equitable care across the diversity of populations encountered in society is a key component of paramedic practice and a requirement of all registrants. Undergraduate programmes are increasingly offering the opportunity for students to undertake international placement; however, little research exists to understand how student paramedics experience international placement and the impact of these experiences upon students' cultural competence. Design: A qualitative phenomenological design with constructivist philosophy was adopted to explore international placement experiences of student paramedics. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used to derive data from six student paramedics, allowing reflexive thematic analysis to determine patterns of shared meaning. Results: During international placement, student paramedics experience a challenging and disorientating cultural immersion. Two main themes emerged from the data: cultural clashes in healthcare provision and cultural differences at societal level. Experiences prompt a process of critical self-reflection, leading to personal and professional growth. Conclusion: Culturally immersive placements should be sought and facilitated within all undergraduate student paramedic programmes. For students travelling overseas, tailored support should be provided to help maintain psychological wellbeing during placement.