Factors that influence quality student paramedicine placements in Australia: A scoping review

Placement experiences are a fundamental component of tertiary paramedicine programs, where students can link theory with practice. However, the quality of placement experiences has been known to vary. Students have reported varying levels of placement satisfaction, supervisory support, clinical exposure and opportunities for learning. This scoping review aims to explore the factors that influence quality paramedicine student placements. The Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review Methodology guided this study. The electronic databases MEDLINE, Emcare, Scopus and CINAHL were comprehensively searched in February 2025 and again in October 2025 for relevant peer-reviewed research articles. The initial search strategy was developed in MEDLINE and subsequently adapted to each database. Title and abstract screening was conducted first, followed by full-text screening, as per the Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review methodology. Included articles were assessed for methodological quality. The search strategy resulted in 13,479 articles for screening. A total of 25 met the inclusion criteria. Several key factors were identified which influence quality paramedicine student placements: (i) the impact of supervisors; (ii) the learning experiences of students; (iii) placement setting and structure; and (iv) student satisfaction. Identifying these quality indicators will allow stakeholders, including universities and placement providers, to develop strategies to improve the paramedicine student placement experience.