The internship of occupational therapy students: an observational survey on barriers and facilitators from the perspective of internship assistants

Abstract Introduction: in the training of Occupational Therapy students, internships are important in linking theory to clinical practice. Internship Assistants (IAs) play a crucial role in guiding students during clinical practice and fostering their active in the learning process. Objectives: this study aimed to investigate the perceptions of IAs regarding the internship experience of the Occupational Therapy course at the University of Milan (Italy). Methods: an observational survey was conducted between July and September 2024. All IAs completed a paper-and-pencil “hoc questionnaire”, implemented after a focus group with experts and following a brief literature review. It consisted of 13 open questions, focusing on specific thematic areas of interest in internship: communication, relationship, self-perception and evaluation of the students’ professional growth. The answers to the open-ended questions were analysed using a thematic analysis. Results: twenty-three IAs (mean age = 37.25 ± 8.27; 4 males) completed the questionnaire. The average experience as a training assistant was 12.88 years (±6.8) and only three assistants report having undergone role-specific training. Thematic analysis revealed communication difficulties with “certain types of students” (39%) and “some generic relational difficulties” (60%). Regarding student evaluation, is concerned, difficulties related to the “detection of change” (30%) or “professional growth” (35%) are reported. Most of the IAs supported the need to develop comparison courses with the university. Conclusion: this study highlights weaknesses perceived by IAs, with major challenges in communication, relationships, and assessment areas. Collaboration with the university appears necessary for IAs. Future efforts aim to expand this study nationally.