An evaluation of the student and tutor experience of a residential summer school event (OPTIMAX)

•We explored the experiences of students and tutors during a summer school event.•This was a multi-cultural and multi-professional event.•It was found to be a valuable learning experience by both students and tutors.•Key to this was collaborative team learning by students.•However, consideration needs to be given to team size and tutor leadership.

AimTo explore the experiences of students and tutors who participated in a residential multi-cultural and multi-professional 3 week summer school event (OPTIMAX).MethodA grounded theory approach was adopted. Two semi-structured focus group interviews (student and tutor) were conducted to explore participant experiences. Both focus groups were audio recorded and then transcribed and coded to identify the main themes and draw conclusions.ResultsInductive coding defined categories and sub-categories to explore the relationships within and between the two sets of focus group data.DiscussionOPTIMAX was seen a positive experience by both students and tutors and provided an opportunity to undertake team learning with peers from different countries or professional backgrounds. However, consideration needs to be given to team size and tutor leadership.SummaryBy participating with international collaborative projects such as this, there is an opportunity to develop learning and explore current practices within radiography.