title: The Future of Clinical Education: Using the Delphi Technique to Study Allied Health Deans' Perspectives on Definitions and Goals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allied health (AH) clinical education provides future health professionals with the experiences necessary to develop the healthcare competencies required for success in their individual fields. There is limited information and consensus on the purposes of clinical education, including its definition and goals, and its comprehensive role in AH clinical training. This study explored whether consensus could be achieved in the definition, goals, and factors impacting AH clinical education.
  
  
  METHODS
  An expert panel consisting of 61 AH deans (54.9% of the population) whose institutions were 2013 members of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP) participated in a three-round Delphi study. From July 2013 to March 2014, the deans expressed opinions about clinical education and its purposes. Responses were collected, summarized, and refined, and responses were accepted and re-rated until agreement was achieved or the study concluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hypothesis that AH deans would agree upon the definition and goals of clinical education was supported by this study's findings. Over 90% of deans "strongly agreed" or "agreed" on the definition of clinical education. A majority (90.2% to 92.7%) agreed with the goals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High agreement was achieved on the purposes of clinical education, resulting in a comprehensive definition of and goals for AH clinical education. The definition and goals of clinical education can be added in the healthcare literature and used in support of AH education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Health Professions, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 65 Bergen Street, Room 353, Newark, NJ 07101-1709, USA. Tel 248 622-7494. romigbd@shp.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Barbara D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Romig
authors.forename: Ann W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan Maillet
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005178:Faculty; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000193:education*; D012576:Schools, Health Occupations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires