Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Student Physical Therapists' Clinical Education Experiences

Purpose. To explore the perceived impact of Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms on the clinical education experience of health professions students. Subjects. Four (4) student physical therapists with ADHD who completed acute care clinical education experiences participated in the study. Methods. A qualitative case series design and grounded theory methods were used to elicit student perspectives during individual semi-structured interviews supplemented by researcher field notes. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Results. All students experienced symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that were characterized as difficult and continuous “work”. The perceived severity of the ADHD symptoms varied. Symptoms of ADHD impacted the students’ ability to learn to be and function as clinicians in the clinical environment. Students experienced occupation-related functional impairments as a result of “resource-demand” imbalances (Lazarus, 1993; Turgay et al., 2012). Students’ were able utilize strategies to manage their ADHD symptoms with or without the assistance of others. Students gained a greater sense of professional identity and competency as professionals with ADHD as a result of their transitional clinical education experiences. Conclusions. Clinical education experiences are contextually relevant, transitional opportunities for students with ADHD to understand what it means to live and work with ADHD. Practice implications: Health professions educators are in a position to facilitate the professional development of students with ADHD by recognizing that ADHD may: 1) have an impact on the clinical education experiences of students with the disorder and 2) be manageable in the clinic setting.