Satisfaction of occupational and physical therapy
students during their internship program
Fayz S. Al Shahry
1
, Arwa Saqr Almutairi
2
, Ruyuf Abdulrahman Aljou
2
and
Roboa A.Al-Sulami
2
1
Assistant Prof. CAMS, KSAU-HS, Consultant, Neuro Rehabilitation KAMC, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
2
Student Occupational Therapy, CAMS, KSAU-HS, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
ABSTRACT
The internship year is considered to be a golden period for students’ training, as they are exposed during that time to a major-
ity of medical specialties and will gain more knowledge and clinical skills. it is the time they convert their taught information
and knowledge into skills. However the quality of training and the appropriateness of environment as well as the satisfaction of
trainee is a major issue. Our study aimed to assess the satisfaction about internship training of occupational and physical therapy,
among interns in Riyadh. A cross-sectional study was conducted including 81 Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy
(PT) interns from King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) and King Abduallah Specialized Children Hospital (KASCH) (48 females,
33 males; 41 PT, 40 OT; mean age 23.07 yrs, SD-1.17). Interns were excluded if they had a repeated rotation either due to weak
performance or as disciplinary action from the department, faced problems in the department that required further investigation,
and spent less than two months in the hospital. A survey previously used in Al Dammam study. It has 21 items divided across four
domains that are either related to preparatory work towards internship, satisfaction, and comfort with the supervisor and intern-
ship site, attainment of intended learning outcomes, or evaluation and feedback during internship. Three interns were excluded as
they spent less than two months in the hospital. Interns had a satisfaction rate of 83.05% where PT interns had a satisfaction rate
of 86.15%, and OT interns had 78.50%. Additionally, PT interns had a higher satisfaction rate than OT interns across all domains.
However, the only signi cant difference between the two programs was on the items related to evaluation and feedback during
the internship. Interns in the main hospital had a satisfaction rate of 84.15%, whereas interns in KASCH had a satisfaction rate of
80.94%.We found a high satisfaction rate of OT and PT interns in this study, and higher satisfaction of PT interns compared to OT
interns. However, further research can be conducted using the same questionnaire to explore different hospitals in Riyadh and
different region within Saudi Arabia to have an overall estimation of satisfaction rate among the PT and OT at the national level.
KEY WORDS: INTERNSHIP, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSIOTHERAPY, SATISFACTION
638
Medical
Communication
Biosci. Biotech. Res. Comm. 11(4): 638-646 (2018)
ARTICLE INFORMATION:
Corresponding Authors: shahryf@hotmail.com
drshadabuddins@gmail.com
Received 30
th
Sep, 2018
Accepted after revision 21
st
Dec, 2018
BBRC Print ISSN: 0974-6455
Online ISSN: 2321-4007 CODEN: USA BBRCBA
Thomson Reuters ISI ESC / Clarivate Analytics USA
Mono of Clarivate Analytics and Crossref Indexed
Journal Mono of CR
NAAS Journal Score 2018: 4.31 SJIF 2017: 4.196
© A Society of Science and Nature Publication, Bhopal India
2018. All rights reserved.
Online Contents Available at:
http//www.bbrc.in/
DOI: 10.21786/bbrc/11.4/15
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 639
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
INTRODUCTION
Internship training is known to be one mandatory year
after completing the undergraduate study where the
interns are required to apply their academic (theoretical)
learning to practical (clinical) experiences. The intern-
ship year is considered to be a golden period for stu-
dents’ training, as they are exposed during that time
to a majority of medical specialties and will gain more
knowledge and clinical skills, (Finucane and O’Dowd,
2005). As stated by Davis (1990), intern training is an
experiential learning which gives the students the oppor-
tunity to apply what they have learned from schools in
real world situation, and it gives the interns a chance to
consolidate and combine thinking and action, (Cheong
et al., 2014, Sasnett and Rose, 2016; Yasser et al., 2016).
It is a valuable component of academic programs,
which is bene cial for the student, employer as well as the
university. Internship training has a major role in improv-
ing learning professional skills, applying what have been
learned theoretically in real life, improving communica-
tion and teamwork skills, gaining more experiences which
increase interns’ quality to deal with different situations in
the future, identifying strengths and weakness, and pre-
paring interns’ mindset for their future careers, (Hart et al.,
1989; Sasnett and Rose, 2016 and Phua 2017).
Training programs might also help to improve imme-
diate skills that could eventually improve course perfor-
mances. For example, better time management, height-
ened initiative, and better self-discipline and an overall
better self-concept (Dennis, 1996). The interns gain
tremendous advantages other than the experience they
obtain during their internship. This opportunity allows
them to discover their areas of interest and scout about
the environment. However, future professional jobs must
be available for the interns in order to achieve the best
possible outcomes, (Wurfel and Walter 1985, Berger,
1991; Ramus, 1997; Verney et al., 2009 and Phua 2017).
The strengths \ advantages of internship con rm
the importance of developing an ef cient training pro-
gram. Earlier studies reported that the majority of interns
improved their knowledge about the eld as a result of
the training/internship program (Al Thukair, 2014)interns,
alumni, coordinators, and supervisors of the Health Infor-
mation Management and Technology (HIMT. Suf cient
contact with a training coordinator may promote the ben-
e ts that interns could gain from internship (Yafang and
Gongyong, 2008). The contentment of interns with the
training may be a chance to raise their interests in full-
time jobs (D’abate et al., 2009). In contrast, according to
Taylor (1988), “poor supervision was the most likely con-
dition to lead to dissatisfaction with internships” (Taylor,
1988). Nelson (1994) stated that repetitious work with low
freedom to test knowledge along with the high risk that
accompanies insuf cient feedback would relate to dissat-
isfaction with supervision (Nelson, 1994).
Al-Muhanna (2009), observed that the major issue
facing medical and health profession interns is the gap
between what is offered by the training institution and
what the interns want or expect. Another problem in
internship training is the stress linked with the internship
year due to its importance to the interns’ professional lives
(Al-Muhanna, 2009). Another issue mentioned by Han-
non (2000) is the lack of adequate preparation for intern-
ship. Graduates thought they haven’t yet developed the
acquired attitudes and skills, therefore, it was perceived
as being unfair to the patient and eventually decreeing
the interns’ bene t from clinical training. Additionally,
some stated that some clinical practices may be more
effective than the ones actually used (Hannon, 2000). In
one study, the lowest rate of satisfaction was given to
the feedback level from the trainer as well the number of
available trainers in relation to the number of students
(Serwah, Sulimani, Samy, & Serwah, 2015). In another
study, interns have reported a few incidents of mistreat-
ment especially verbal attacks (Daugherty, Baldwin, &
Rowley, 1998). Also, another study which was concerned
with pharmacy interns stated that the training period in a
certain area \ ward is too short (Phua et al., 2017).
Having knowledge about these issues and any other
issues that may face medical and health profession
interns will help in improving the interns’ experience in
clinical training and improving their performance. The
present study was proposed to overcome the lack of data
on the satisfaction of interns in occupational therapy
and physical therapy about their training program. The
results of the study will give insight to strengths and
weaknesses and chances for improvement of the current
internship programs with respect to OT and PT.
METHODS
Subjects of this study were occupational and physi-
cal therapy interns in King Abdulaziz Medical City
(KAMC) and King Abduallah Specialized Children Hos-
pital (KASCH). Institutional review board (IRB) approval
was obtained before conducting the study, and informed
consent was obtained from all participants before the
data collection. Participants’ con dentiality was strictly
observed throughout the study by using an anonymous
unique serial number for each subject and restricting data
only to the investigators. The inclusion criteria were occu-
pational and physical therapy interns, male and female,
who passed at least one rotation of 2 months duration in
the designated setting. The exclusion criteria were occu-
pational and physical therapy interns who have had a
repeated rotation either due to weak performance or as
disciplinary action from the department, faced problems
640 SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
in the department that required further investigation, and
spent less than two months in the hospital.
The data was collected by a structured questionnaire
which measures the satisfaction of interns in the follow-
ing areas: preparation, internship posting, professional
skills and knowledge, and evaluation and feedback. It
had been previously used in Al Dammam study, with
slight modi cations including questions about the dura-
tion of the internship, any con ict the interns have expe-
rienced in the current setting, and the number of passed
rotations. In this questionnaire, the subjects lled out
variables about their age, gender, program, a name of
the hospital, and the start and end date of the internship.
However, the focus of this survey was converted to t
the clinical internship program rather than NCAAA. This
questionnaire, adapted from the previously mentioned
study, was used in Saudi Arabia with similar objectives
and subjects to this study. Therefore, this questionnaire
was used to broaden the scope of measuring interns’ sat-
isfaction in KAMC and KASCH in Riyadh.
The measurement tool used was the Likert scale where
a score of 0 was assigned to strongly disagree which is
the lowest grading, and a score of 3 was assigned to
strongly agree which is the maximum score. A score of 1
was assigned to disagree, and a score of 2 was assigned
to agree. Whereas in yes/no questions at the end of the
questionnaire, a score of 1 was assigned to ‘yes’ and a
score of 2 is assigned to ‘no.’ At the end of the survey,
the interns had the chance to write any suggestions or
recommendations the could have made their internship
experience better which can be used by the institution
for future improvements in their internship program.
The collected data was entered into Microsoft Excel
after ensuring the removal of con dential information
and after being coded and cleared. It was then exported
to SPSS version 22 where categorical variables were rep-
resented in frequencies and percentages, and the con-
tinuous variable was represented in mean and standard
deviation. Percentages of overall satisfaction, satisfac-
tion in each domain, satisfaction between programs, and
satisfaction between hospitals were calculated. Inde-
pendent t sample test was used to measure any signi -
cant difference in satisfaction between programs.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
DEMOGRAPHICS OF PARTICIPANTS
A total of 100 surveys were distributed, and 84
responded. 3 participants were excluded as they have
spent less than two months in the hospital. 81 partici-
pants entered analysis including 40 (49.4%) from occu-
pational therapy program and 41 (50.6%) from physical
therapy program. 45 (55.6%) respondents were in King
Abdulaziz Medical City, 26 (32.1%) respondents were
in King Abduallah Specialized Children Hospital, and
10 (12.3%) respondents were in both hospitals. Table 1
shows the detailed backgrounds of the respondents
Table 1. Demographics of Participants
Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy All
Age
Mean (Std.Deviation)
22.97 yrs (1.20) 23.13 yrs (1.14) 23.07 yrs (1.17)
Gender
Male
% Within Program
Female
% Within Program
Total
% Within Program
17
42.5%
23
57.5%
40
100.0%
16
39.0%
25
61.0%
41
100.0%
33
40.7%
48
59.3%
81
100.0%
Hospital
KAMC
% Within Program
KASCH
%Within Program
Both
% Within Program
Total
%Within Program
21
52.5%
15
57.5%
4
10.6%
40
100.0%
24
58.5%
11
26.8%
6
14.6%
41
100.0%
45
55.6%
26
32.1%
10
12.3%
81
100.0%
Total of Program 40 (49.4) 41 (50.6) 81 (100)
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 641
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
FIGURE 1. Satisfaction of interns in all four domains between Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Department
FIGURE 2. Satisfaction level on the items related to preparatory work towards internship
The present study was proposed to determine data on
the satisfaction of interns in occupational therapy and
physical therapy department in King Abdulaziz Medical
City (KAMC) and King Abduallah Specialized Children
Hospital (KASCH) in Saudi Arabia at Riyadh. The result
shows the satisfaction rate in 4 domains (Preparation,
Internship Posting, Professional Skills and Knowledge,
and Evaluation and Feedback by the program) according
to OT & PT Program. PT interns had a satisfaction rate
of 86.15%, whereas OT interns had a satisfaction rate
of 78.50%. In comparison to each domain, PT interns
had a satisfaction rate of 94%, 92%, 95%, and 64%
respectively to the domains of preparation, internship
posting, professional skills and knowledge, and evalu-
ation and feedback. OT interns had a satisfaction rate
of 87%, 88%, 90%, and 48% respectively to the previ-
ously mentioned domains as shown in gure 1. Addi-
tionally, gure 2,3,4 and 5 shows level on each item
related to preparatory work towards internship, comfort
with the supervisor and internship site, attainment of
intended learning outcomes and evaluation and feed-
back during the internship. The p-value for all domains
was measured. However, the only signi cant difference
between the programs was in the evaluation and feed-
back domain (p-value > 0.05).
Table 2 shows the detailed scoring of the survey in
each of the four domains by hospitals. In the compari-
son between KAMC and KASCH, interns in KAMC had a
satisfaction rate of 84.15%, whereas interns in KASCH
had a satisfaction rate of 80.94%. The difference in some
interns between KAMC and KASCH should acknowledge
which may affect the precision of our estimates in this
study.
This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of occupa-
tional and physical therapy interns about their intern-
ship experience in KAMC and KASCH. We asked the
interns to ll out a survey with four domains and a total
of 21 items. The results of this study indicate that OT and
PT interns are generally satis ed with their internship
experience. Items related to preparatory work towards
internship, satisfaction, and comfort with the supervi-
sor, internship site and attainment of intended learn-
ing outcomes had a high satisfaction rate of over 90%,
whereas items related to evaluation and feedback during
the internship had the lowest satisfaction rate. Therefore
the feedback in a regular short period is very important
and considered excellent mechanism for student to rec-
tify,
(Serwah et al., 2015).
The ve items with the highest agreement level
include: learning new skills and knowledge during the
642 SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
internship (item 11), the interns feeling their presence at
the hospital made a positive contribution to profession-
als at internship site (item 7), followed by the interns
gaining insight into the work environment and eld of
their interest (item 13), Alshomrani et al. 2016, Sasnett
et al. 2016, Finucane et al. 2009). Being well prepared
for the internship (item 4), developing an awareness
of the areas in which the interns needed growth (item
16), and nding the internship handbook to be clear
and very useful (item 2) followed by applying to the
job in the hospital if an open opportunity was available
(item 9).
The ve items with the lowest agreement level include:
being asked to prepare a report at the end of each intern-
ship rotation (item 19), having arranged meeting by the
university to re ect on the internship experience (item
20), visitations from internship coordinator at eld loca-
tion for observation (item 17), having the opportunity to
freely evaluate the experience at the hospital (item 18),
and being heard and responded to when raising issues
about the internship process with the internship coordi-
nator (item 21) (Finucane et al. 2005).
PT interns were generally more satis ed than OT
interns. On each domain of the survey, PT interns also
had a higher satisfaction rate than OT interns. However,
the only signi cant difference between the two pro-
grams was on the items related to the evaluation and
feedback domain. This might be attributed to individual
differences in the supervisors’ evaluation of the interns
toward the end of the internship. Furthermore, interns
who had their internship in KAMC had a slightly higher
satisfaction rate than interns in KASCH generally and
on each domain. The only signi cant domain was the
satisfaction and comfort of the supervisor and intern-
FIGURE 3. Satisfaction level on the items related to comfort with the supervisor and internship site
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 643
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
ship site,). Taylor 1988
highlighted the importance of
supervision. Also, giving the interns the opportunity to
choose the internship site could help in increasing their
satisfaction level.
Through examining the literature, we found one
study that has been carried out in Damam in which we
can compare our nding to their results. Al Thukair
conducted a study in 2014, at Al Dammam comparing
the satisfaction in PT and HIMT interns, and found that
items related to preparatory work towards internship,
satisfaction, the comfort with the supervisor, the intern-
ship site, and attainment of intended learning outcomes
had the highest satisfaction rate, whereas items related
to evaluation and feedback during the internship had
the lowest satisfaction rate which was consistent with
our study, (Al Thukair 2014). This Items identi ed as
having the lowest satisfaction rate were inconsistent
with our research as not all items related to evaluation
and feedback during internship were identi ed as hav-
ing the lowest satisfaction rate.
Strengths of this study include that the data was col-
lected from KAMC and KASCH which are tertiary care
hospitals with high bed capacity and high-quality reha-
bilitation services that cover most patient population in
the central region of Riyadh. Secondly, we collected a
sample size that should be representative of all OT and
PT interns in the central region of Riyadh. Thirdly, the
questionnaire had been previously used in Al Dammam
study by Al Thukair (2014) as a valid and a reliable ques-
tionnaire. Finally, this study, up to our knowledge, is the
rst study that assesses the satisfaction of OT interns, or
OT and PT interns combined in Saudi Arabia. However,
limitations of the study include the limited hospital sit-
tings with no further expansion to more hospitals. Addi-
tionally, the difference in a number of interns between
KAMC and KASCH should be acknowledged which may
FIGURE 4. Satisfaction level on the items related to attainment of intended learning outcomes
644 SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
Table 2. Satisfaction of interns in four domains between KAMC and KASCH hospital
Items Response KAMC KASCH Both Total
Q1
Preparation:
The orientation for internship
increased my level of comfort
with the process, and, with my
responsibilities as an intern.
Strongly Disagree 2 (4.4%) 0 (0.00%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (2.5%)
Disagree 3 (6.7%) 3 (11.5%) 0 (0.0%) 6 (7.4%)
Agree 17 (37.8%) 18 (69.2%) 6 (60.0%) 41 (50.6%)
Strongly Agree 23 (51.1%) 5 (19.2%) 4 (40.0%) 32 (39.5%)
Q2 Internship handbook was clear
and very useful.
Strongly Disagree 1 (2.2%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.3%)
Disagree 2 (4.4%) 2 (7.7%) 0 (0.0%) 4 (4.9%)
Agree 27 (60.0%) 20 (76.9%) 3 (30.0%) 50 (61.7%)
Strongly Agree 15 (33.3%) 4 (15.4%) 7 (70.0%) 26 (32.1%)
Q3 Learning outcomes were clear. Strongly Disagree - - - -
Disagree 7 (15.6%) 3 (11.5%) 1 (10.0%) 11 (13.6%)
Agree 23 (51.1%) 18 (69.2%) 5 (50.0%) 46 (56.8%)
Strongly Agree 15 (33.3%) 5 (19.2%) 4 (40.0%) 24 (29.6%)
Q4 Overall, I was well prepared for
my internship.
Strongly Disagree - - - -
Disagree 1 (2.2%) 2 (7.7%) 0 (0.0%) 3 (3.7%)
Agree 24 (53.3%) 16 (61.5%) 4 (40.0%) 44 (54.3%)
Strongly Agree 20 (44.4%) 8 (30.8%) 6 (60.0%) 34 (42.0%)
Q5
Internship posting:
My internship supervisor
provided an orientation to the
internship department.
Strongly Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.2%)
Disagree 3 (6.7%) 6 (23.1%) 0 (0.0%) 9 (11.1%)
Agree 24 (53.3%) 12 (46.2%) 4 (40.0%) 40 (49.4%)
Strongly Agree 18 (40.0%) 7 (26.9%) 6 (60/0%) 31 (38.3%)
Q6 When I started my internship, I
felt accepted and welcomed by
my co-workers.
Strongly Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.2%)
Disagree 3 (6.7%) 5 (19.2%) 0 (0.0%) 8 (9.9%)
Agree 17 (37.8%) 13 (50.0%) 7 (70.0%) 37 (45.7%)
Strongly Agree 25 (55.6%) 7 (26.9%) 3 (30.0%) 35 (43.2%)
Q7 I felt that my presence at the
organization made a positive
contribution to professionals at
internship site.
Strongly Disagree - - - -
Disagree 1 (2.2%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (2.5%)
Agree 23 (51.1%) 20 (76.9%) 8 (80.0%) 51 (63.0%)
Strongly Agree 21 (46.7%) 4 (19.2%) 2 (20.0%) 28 (34.5%)
Q8 Internship tasks were relevant
to my academic course work.
Strongly Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.2%)
Disagree 7 (15.6%) 6 (23.1%) 1 (10.0%) 14 (17.3%)
Agree 25 (55.6%) 16 (61.5%) 6 (60.0%) 47 (58.0%)
Strongly Agree 13 (28.9%) 3 (11.5%) 3 (30.0%) 19 (23.5%)
FIGURE 5. Satisfaction level on the items related to evaluation and feedback during internship
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 645
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
Q9 If an appropriate job were open
at this department, I would
apply for it.
Strongly Disagree 2 (4.4%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (2.5%)
Disagree 1 (2.2%) 1 (3.8%) 1 (10.0%) 3 (3.7%)
Agree 19 (42.2%) 17 (65.4%) 2 (20.0%) 38 (46.9%)
Strongly Agree 23 (51.1%) 8 (30.8%) 7 (70.0%) 38 (46.9%)
Q10 Overall, my experience as an
intern met my expectations.
Strongly Disagree - - - -
Disagree 2 (4.4%) 3 (11.5%) 2 (20.0%) 7 (8.6%)
Agree 26 (57.8%) 17 (65.4%) 5 (40.0%) 48 (59.3%)
Strongly Agree 17 (37.8%) 6 (23.1%) 3 (30.0%) 26 (32.1%)
Q11
Professional Skills and
Knowledge
I learned new skills and
knowledge in my internship
Strongly Disagree - - - -
Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.3%)
Agree 12 (26.7%) 12 (46.2%) 3 (30.0%) 27 (33.3%)
Strongly Agree 33 (73.3%) 13 (50.00%) 7 (70.0%) 53 (65.4%)
Q12 My internship supervisor
showed interest in my
suggestions/ideas.
.
Strongly Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 1 (10.0%) 2 (2.5%)
Disagree 6 (13.3%) 2 (7.7%) 0 (0.0%) 8 (9.9%)
Agree 22 (48.9%) 14 (53.8%) 4 (40.0%) 40 (49.3%)
Strongly Agree 17 (37.8%) 9 (34.6%) 5 (50.0%) 31 (38.3%)
Q13 I gained insight into the work
environment and eld of my
interest.
Strongly Disagree 1 (2.2%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.3%)
Disagree 1 (2.2%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.2%)
Agree 30 (66.7%) 18 (69.2%) 8 (80.0%) 56 (69.1%)
Strongly Agree 13 (28.9%) 8 (30.8%) 2 (20.0%) 23 (28.4%)
Q14 I was able to integrate theory
and practice.
Strongly Disagree 1 (2.2%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (2.5%)
Disagree 3 (6.7%) 3 (11.5%) 0 (0.0%) 6 (7.4%)
Agree 29 (64.4%) 17 (65.4%) 7 (70.0%) 53 (65.4%)
Strongly Agree 12 (26.7%) 5 (19.2%) 3 (30.0%) 20 (24.7%)
Q15 My classes became more
meaningful after my
internship.
Strongly Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.3%)
Disagree 4 (8.9%) 5 (19.2%) 1 (10.0%) 10 (12.3%)
Agree 25 (55.6%) 18 (69.2%) 3 (30.0%) 46 (56.8%)
Strongly Agree 16 (35.6%) 2 (7.7%) 6(60.0%) 24 (29.6%)
Q16 I developed an awareness
of areas in which I needed
growth.
Strongly Disagree 0 (0.0%) 1 (3.8%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.2%)
Disagree 3 (6.7%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 3 (3.7%)
Agree 23 (51.1%) 17 (65.4%) 5 (50.0%) 45 (55.6%)
Strongly Agree 19 (42.2%) 8 (30.8%) 5 (50.0%) 32 (39.5%)
Q17
Evaluation and Feedback
Internship coordinator visited
me at eld location for
observation.
Yes 30 (66.7%) 15 (57.7%) 7 (70.0%) 52 (64.2%)
No 15 (33.3%) 11 (42.3%) 3 (30.0%) 29 (35.8%)
Q18 I have the opportunity to freely
evaluate my experience at the
hospital.
Yes 34 (75.6%) 15 (57.7%) 7 (70.0%) 56 (69.1%)
No 11 (24.4%) 11 (42.3%) 3 (30.0%) 25 (30.9%)
Q19 I am asked to prepare a report
at the end of each internship
rotation.
Yes 14 (31.1%) 12 (46.2%) 1 (10.0%) 27 (33.3%)
No 31 (68.9%) 14 (53.8%) 9 (90.0%) 54 (66.7%)
Q20 Meetings were arranged by
my university to re ect and
share my internship experience
throughout the course.
Yes 19 (42.2%) 9 (34.6%) 1 (10.0%) 29 (35.8%)
No 26 (57.8%) 17 (65.4%) 9 (19.0%) 52 (64.2%)
Q21 I was heard and responded
to when I raised issues about
the internship process with
internship coordinator.
Yes 37 (82.2%) 18 (69.2%) 9 (19.0%) 64 (79.0%)
No 8 (17.8%) 8 (30.8%) 1 (10.0%) 17 (21.0%)
646 SATISFACTION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Fayz S. Al Shahry et al.
affect the precision of our estimates in this study. It is
worth mentioning that some of the preceptor deviated
from the training framework to address more specialized
advanced skills or techniques which is match the level
of the intern and track them out of the training scope.
There was a notable feedback on the divergence of the
training content versus the written training manual,
since some trainer tends to address a higher level con-
tent above the interns level.
CONCLUSION
We found a high satisfaction rate of OT and PT interns in
this study, and higher satisfaction of PT interns compared
to OT interns, a regular short term feedback between
intern student and their preceptors is of a great impor-
tance for student to rectify and maintain focuses on the
training framework and avoid expanding to advanced
techniques beyond student level will assure better out-
comes. It is obvious that a further research can be con-
ducted using the same questionnaire to explore different
hospitals in Riyadh and different regions within Saudi
Arabia to have an overall picture of satisfaction rate
among the PTs and OTs on the national level preceptors
must maintain training to the level of the interns.
REFERENCES
Al-Muhanna F. (2009) Challenges to Saudi medical education in
the third Millennium. J Family Community Med. 16 (2):67-69.
Alshomrani Y, Althaqa M, Albarakati B. (2016) Medi-
cal Interns’ Learning and Mistreatment Received during the
Internship Year. Are They Satis ed? Education 6(1):13-16.
AlThukair D.(2014) Evaluation of the University of Dammam’s
Compliance with NCAAA Standards of Field Experience and its
Impact on Satisfaction. ERIC 1-28.
Berger, Jason (1985) Making an Internship Work. Public Rela-
tions Journal 47(4):30- 31.
Cheong A, Yahya N, Shen Q, Yen A. (2014) Internship Expe-
rience: An In-Depth Interview among Interns at a Business
School of a Malaysian Private Higher Learning Institution.
Proceedings - Social and Behavioral Sciences 123:333-343.
D’abate C, Youndt M, Wenzel K (1988) Making the Most of
an Internship: An Empirical Study of Internship Satisfac-
tion. Academy of Management Learning & Education. 2009;
8(4):527-539.
Daugherty S, Baldwin, Jr D, Rowley B. (1998) Learning, Sat-
isfaction, and Mistreatment During Medical Internship A
National Survey of Working Conditions. JAMA Network.
279(15):1194-1199.
Dennis A. (1996) The Bene t of Using College Interns in a
Firm. Journal of Accountancy. 181:889-892.
Finucane P, O’Dowd T. (2009) Working and training as an
intern: a national survey of Irish interns. Medical Teacher
27(2):107-113.
Hannon F. (2000) A national medical education needs’ assess-
ment of interns and the development of an intern education
and training programme. Medical Education. 2000; 34(4):275-
284.
Nelson A. (1994) Hospitality internships: The effects of job
dimensions and supportive relationships on student satisfac-
tion 71-84.
Phua G, Teoh C, Khong L, Baba B, Lim C, Koh W (2017) The
Satisfaction and Perception of Intern Pharmacists towards
their Training in Government Hospitals in the Northern Region
of Malaysia 17 (1) 15 – 23.
Ramus, Erica (1997) Internship Programs from Start to Finish.
Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management 26(6):38-39.
Sasnett B, Ross T. (2016) Maximizing Internship Value by
Comparing Student Satisfaction and Program Competencies.
Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education 6 (390)
Seibert J, Sypher B. (1989) The Importance of Internship Expe-
riences to Undergraduate Communication Students. ERIC 1-25.
Serwah A, Sulimani A, Samy W, Serwah M. (2015) Assessment
of the level of satisfaction of nal years medical students with
the clinical training at Taif teaching hospitals, KSA. Journal of
Contemporary Medical Education 3(2):64.
Taylor M. (1988) Effects of college internships on individ-
ual participants. Journal of Applied Psychology 73(3):393-
401.
Verney T, Holoviak S, (2009) Winter A. Enhancing the Reli-
ability of Internship Evaluations. Journal of Applied Business
and Economics 22-33.
Yafang B, Gongyong F. (2016) A Study on Hospitality Stu-
dents’ Satisfaction towards their Internship: a Case from Hang
Zhou, China. 1069-1076.
Wurfel, Walter W. (1985) Well-nurtured Interns can Reap Ben-
e ts and Bring Rewards. Public Relations Journal 41(4):37.