Investigating Student Expectations in UK-based Higher Education Healthcare Programmes

Background One of the most challenging times for a student is their transition to university from previous education, and this transition can be particularly difficult if their expectations vary greatly from what is likely to be genuine when they arrive. In healthcare education, this can be exacerbated as students also need to be safe and professional from the beginning of their academic journey. This highlights the importance of understanding students’ expectations as they join higher education, in order to identify any areas where expectations may need to be managed effectively. Methods This project utilised online surveys of: (1) incoming (transitioning) students (n = 37), (2) current students (n = 21), and (3) academic staff (n = 13) – all involved in healthcare programmes at a UK-based University. The questions were targeted around perceptions of outcomes, performance, workload, extracurricular activities, professionalism and support. Quantitative data were analysed using t-tests and ANOVAs; qualitative data were investigated using inductive thematic analysis. Results Data show that on average, both incoming and current students expect to graduate with a first-class degree but expect that they will ned to work harder than they did previously to achieve it. Data also suggest that overall there is a relatively large agreement in expectation between all three participant groups, however there are mismatches surrounding: the need to attend lectures and what constitutes an achievable grade. In particular, incoming students who reported having a close relative go to university and support them with their expectations were significantly less likely to agree that they need to attend lectures to achieve success. Thematic analyses highlight positive experiences of university align with a healthy work-life balance, good support structures, and good relationships; whereas negative experiences are associated with feelings of isolation, struggling, and experiencing poor mental health. Conclusions Overall these data suggest that best practice in teaching and supporting students could be facilitated through implementing small changes to help support management of student expectations as they join the institution. These include: study skills support, training in understanding grade boundaries in higher education, and reviewing how we utilise timetabled lecture sessions to ensure they are perceived to be maximally useful.