Graduate Student Clinicians in Health Care Professions as Stakeholders in Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP) Implementation and Research

Abstract

Purpose: This article characterizes graduate student clinicians' (GSCs') understanding of their roles as stakeholders in clinical implementation and research before participating in an intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP). Method: Seven GSCs participated in a pre-ICAP intervention focus group to characterize their perceived roles in stakeholder-engaged research. Following an extensive ICAP training orientation and clarification of key definitions, the focus group prompt asked GSCs to describe what they view as important issues for developing future research protocols that investigate student clinician outcomes in the context of an ICAP. Qualitative content analysis using an inductive coding approach was applied to the focus group transcript. Results: The GSCs preparing to participate in ICAPs report that they are highly invested in the clinical implementation and research of the ICAP service delivery model. Discussion/Conclusions: The GSCs are crucial stakeholders in the development of GSC-run ICAPs across clinical implementation and all phases of research.