My ten week placement with HEE - Aisha Ali Din

My names Aisha Ali Din, I’m a third year BSC Occupational Therapy Student studying at Sheffield Hallam University, I am on 10-week placement with Health Education England as part of the National Pre-registration AHP Student Practice Learning Programme. My main project that I had been working on in the last 10 weeks with HEE was a survey to assist with AHP Placement Expansion.

During my 10 weeks, I have developed on a range of skills such as being able to present my research project, I have become a more reflective practitioner and I’ve learnt to look deeper into problems and find solutions.

When I started my placement with HEE, I was a bit apprehensive as it was not clinical based, but now I look back I am so glad - because I was able to develop on my leadership skills and pick up several skills along the way that I perhaps wouldn’t have in a clinical placement setting. This placement has made me look into new avenues of my profession which I perhaps would have never thought of if I didn’t do the placement. My confidence when it comes to speaking in large groups has improved massively, I feel more able now whereas pre placement I would avoid the opportunity as much as possible.

My project is now complete at HEE, what I had to do was to create a survey that was sent out to AHP regional leads to share project leads and for them to answer the survey as truthfully as possible. Once I received the responses, I completed a thematic analysis and presented my findings in a National Pre-registration AHP Student Practice Learning Advisory Group meeting that consisted of people that were very senior.

The advice I would give to future students would be take every opportunity made available to you, complete the Edward Jenner programme, it will help you so much. If you need help regarding something, speak up and ask for it, the one that I thought was most helpful was find out if there are any other students on a HEE placement the same time as you and ask to get in contact with them, I can’t emphasize enough how important peer support is during your placement. You`ll be able to relate so much on so many things and be able to have that support from someone that won’t be assessing you and who’s in the same boat as you. Organize your time because your calendar will fill up really fast and once you’ve got comfortable with placement then prepare for the week ahead and try being as independent as possible.