Can I ask uni to change placements or do I just get on with it?

[sfguvucp]

I’m doing a course that involves being paired up and being assigned a placement to go to together. My partner has dropped out of the course, and I’ll now have to go alone. I know if a partner is unwell we’re still expected to go alone, but this means all of my placement will be done alone. I feel like this puts me at a disadvantage as we’re encourage to share notes and session planning and switch between observations and note taking. It’s our first placement of the course too so I guess I’m nervous about now going alone when I was expecting to have a peer with me.

I know placements are difficult enough to arrange. Do I ask to see if if possible to join another pair or just continue on on my own?

I think it is worth checking with a tutor that they have actually realised that Person X dropping out has had this effect on you. It's amazing what can get overlooked!

And ask what adjustments are made to marking/assessment of performance when it is a solo student rather than the normal paired arrangement (and also ask if a threesome is better than solo, but find a more tactful way to put it)

I am a lecturer.

Email or book in for office hours and express exactly what you have written here in terms of feeling disadvantaged. It could go one of two ways...either you join a 3 or you are given suggestions of how to cope with observing and record keeping alone. We do take individual circumstances into consideration when marking but it would be more helpful for you if you had a plan in place prior to placement so you can get the most out of the process.

I'm also a lecturer and I'd say exactly this. Make sure they are aware and talk about how they can support you.

So many times these things happen in siloes, so there are people who obviously know that student X has left the course, but their job is sorting out the paperwork and financials related to that student. They may not be thinking outside that box to how that might affect other students. The person whose job it is to support students in their placements may not be thinking about that other student at all anymore because they have left and aren't their responsibility, so they are just focussing on what current students flag up to them. You may need to actually wave your flag a bit for some attention.

Thank you everyone, I'll definitely ask for a meeting to discuss. I do think the lecturer will just tell me to get on with it though, which I do appreciate. It's just not ideal and has made me feel even more anxious about my first placement

Just bumping to see if anyone else has any insight or advice as I appreciate that I posted this in the middle of the day. I've sent an email but haven't heard back yet, I'll probably pop along to my lecturer's office hours on Monday to discuss it in person with them.

After looking at the assignment guidance it definitely places a lot of emphasis about the teamwork element of the placement, so I'm hoping that they will allow me to join another pair rather than do it alone.

Whether they can move you will almost certainly be the decision of the placement settings rather than the uni. If a site has offered to take a pair of students they may/may not be willing or have capacity for a third. Being in a pair is only an advantage if the paired students worked well together. You’re better off being on your own than some peers who may find themselves paired with someone less motivated than them. Bring on your own in the placement setting may mean you get more time from your supervisor, more opportunities to observe/be involved in things that wouldn’t so easily be available to a pair of students etc. So don’t discount the possible benefits of your situation.

@sfguvucp

Which subject are you reading, OP?

No harm in asking, 'don't ask, don't get' as the saying goes. If they change it, then happy days, if not you haven't lost anything.

There is no harm in asking, and checking that they are aware - it is amazing what can get missed when managing a learning cohort. And worth checking if anone else is in this position you could partner with. But be prepared to do it by yourself if you need to as it may not be possible to have a placement for 3 people.

I work in placements for a university and this is absolutely something we would look at for you. I work in the medical field if this is at all relevant

Not quite the same but dc has been in a similar situation (group work and ‘quite a few’ people dropped out’.)
He went to see his tutor. They did their best to reorganise. Didn’t happen for the first group work they were doing. But it did for the next one.

Uni knows that it can happen and will used to it happening.

You need to highlight that to them now.
See if you can be transferred with another group now or later. Fir all you know, there is someone else in the same boat!

Looking on the bright side, at the very least you’re not stuck with someone who might be a dead weight, do no work and steal your ideas! (Purely based on my first student placement experience…)

You mentioned feeling anxious. Have you spoken with student well-being? There’s lots they can put in place such as adjustments or supporting you in conversations with your tutor.

Either way if you have to do placement on your own then try not to worry. Judging from this post you are clearly a competent and resourceful person. I know you will smash it!

Also a lecturer and totally agree with what the other lecturers say. Hopefully you’ve had a response to your email but it is definitely always worth flagging any concerns / issues / changes around placements to your tutor. There may not be any alternatives depending on the course, how many students a particular placement has agreed to take and how tricky the allocation was but it’s still worth sharing your concerns at the very least so they can offer any advice or support around it. Good luck with your placement!

I agree with @gavisconismyfriend . It might be to your advantage to be on your own. It's a chance to be independent and really put your best foot forward.

Good luck, OP!

I don't want to say the exact course to avoid being too outing, but it's a placement that involves a community setting.

I haven't had a reply yet, so I'll go and see them tomorrow for their office hours. I'm due to go for my first session later this week so I need to know as soon as possible. I think because of how late notice it was (last week my partner and I were planning the sessions together and I had no idea they were even considering dropping out until they told me on Friday that they have withdrawn) I'll probably just have to do it alone.

Absolutely not unreasonable to go to your tutor and explain your situation: worries about being disadvantaged, loss of opportunity to work in a team and develop relevant skills etc. Be your own advocate x

Another lecturer agreeing with the others, definitely raise it. Depending on the placement you may actually find it works to your advantage to be solo - more time with the experienced staff and you can still discuss teamwork in terms of working with other colleagues. But best that the uni are aware.

If it is physio/OT the two student placement idea is relatively/very new, and educators are used to having one student. I wouldn’t worry too much about missing out as hopefully you’ll spend more time with your educator. Ask if you can shadow in other areas if you have lots of time alone and ask if there are other students on similar placements you can meet up with. I’m AHP and all of our students come alone.
I know it’s not ideal and may cause anxiety as it’s not how you’ve been taught but just know, if uni won’t change the placement you can still have a great placement.
good luck.