Belongingness during Work-Integrated Learning for Healthcare Students

Elon University presents a study that examined 79 healthcare students and their experience of professional and social belonging during work-integrated learning (WIL). While students generally felt respected and competent, their sense of connectedness to colleagues was consistently the weakest area but placements of six weeks or more were linked to stronger belonging overall. The study concluded that learning through WIL experiences must extend beyond technical skills, clinical placements must also ensure healthcare students feel socially connected and valued, as it directly impacts their professional identity and long-term retention in the field.