2012 Volume 24 Issue 10 Pages 1063-1068
[Purpose] A community-based education program has been conducted since 2009 at The School of Health Sciences, Gunma University. This study investigated how the off-campus program affected physical therapy students using text analysis methods. [Methods] The subjects were 60 physical therapy students, who participated in the off-campus classes. Each student submitted a self-assessment worksheet after participation. Using text analysis methods, the 60 worksheets were broken down into words. The extracted words were carefully selected in terms of meaning or content. Regarding the remaining terms, word relations to other words were analyzed by cluster analysis. [Results] Eighteen extracted words were divided into five clusters. From cluster 1, students were surprised at the differences from working in a hospital. Clusters 2 and 3 showed positive emotions, and cluster 4 showed the importance of communication or interaction with the residents. [Conclusion] Off-campus classes had a good effect on the students, allowing them to understand different types of learning and gain a positive impression about community-based experience and interactions with community residents. It will be necessary to combine the experience of off-campus classes with actual learning or study through in-campus classes, as well as to examine study outcomes targeting the community.