Changing states: Crossing the boundaries between academic and workplace settings for international students in medical education Ms Jennifer Lindley Dr Juanita Fernando The 6th Jakarta Meeting on Medical Education December 6- 8, 2013

Background Monash MBBS program provides an option for an elective research year for students at an honours level To date 8 cohorts of international students have undertaken this one year program in Australia Experiences of students undertaking study in overseas settings is well documented International students undertaking the research year cross transnational boundaries and also move from academic settings into research workplaces

Aim To explore the perspectives of international students undertaking a research year in an Australian undergraduate medicine program To identify key elements that contribute to the ability of international students to successfully complete a research intensive year of study

Methodology Only international students undertaking a research project year were included Qualitative data was collected using focus group discussions Data was collected from 5 cohorts comprising a total of 80 students Students were asked to reflect upon their needs to successfully complete the research year Students were asked to use Maslow’s hierarchy as a framework to ‘rank’ their self-identified needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs McLeod, S. A. (2007). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Data Thesis (completion) More coffee/cakes Highest order needs Luck Specific knowledge & skills Critical friends Relevant academic literature Writing skills Presentation skills Communication skills Computer / Internet / Software Data Coffee / Sweets Ethics Approval Data Results Space Skills Motivation Knowledge Research skills Technical/Practical skills Family Time Fundamental needs Project Supervisor

Analysis Thesis (completion) More coffee/cakes Luck Self -Actualization Specific knowledge & skills Critical friends Relevant academic literature Writing skills Presentation skills Communication skills Self esteem Computer / Internet / Software Data Coffee / Sweets Ethics Approval Data Results Safety Space Skills Motivation Knowledge Research skills Technical/Practical skills Physiological Family Time Belonging Project Supervisor

Analysis OVERSEAS LOCATION HOME LOCATION Research environment MEDIATED BY NEEDS HOME LOCATION Research environment Academic environment MEDIATED BY NEEDS Academic environment Clinical environment Clinical environment

Discussion Students were able to identify a range of personal and professional needs that they deemed significant for a research year. Needs correlated to the chronological process of undertaking the research year Research environments have specific ways of working that differ to academic and clinical settings Access to a suitable project and a quality supervisor were seen as a key need for success For international students, needs associated with belonging appear to be the most fundamental

Conclusion International students can articulate a range of needs that support successful outcomes for research based study/learning which are mediated by a hierarchy of needs These needs can be categorised as addressing changes across two broad domains: Transition across transnational boundaries into a different academic setting Moving into a research workplace environment Needs for undertaking a research based year of study are different to those required for conventional academic study International students face a more complex process to accommodate these challenges

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