Students' expectations of clinical teachers.

Clinical instructors play an essential role in the education of all health care students, including radiation therapy students. However, a review of the literature shows that no studies have examined radiation therapy students' expectations of their clinical instructors. To assess those expectations, a national survey was conducted of 282 radiation therapy students enrolled in 61 programs in 28 states. Survey results then were analyzed to generate a list of the students' expectations of clinical instructors and to look at possible significant relationships between the various groups surveyed. Survey results showed that the most common expectation among first-, second- and third-year radiation therapy students was that their clinical instructors "take time, both in explaining procedures and answering questions." Among fourth-year students, the most commonly cited expectation for clinical instructors was that they "model professionalism."