Munoz-Garcia A1, Antolinez-Romero A2
1Universidad de la Sabana, Cundinamarca, Chia, Colombia, 2Asociacion Colombiana de Estudiantes de Fisioterapia, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Colombia
Background: There are different features that characterized the pre graduate programs in Physiotherapy field of knowledge. This differences represent an enrichment of the process of education and but at the same time could lead to barriers for mobility and interchanges between the different countries and geographic areas. It is the interest of the Physiotherapy program of the University of La Sabana to developed of double titulation, with different universities. This study was created with the aim of review several physiotherapy programs worldwide in order to know different aspects such as the degree awarded, the duration of the program, the number of credits, the professional profile and the training areas.
Purpose: Characterize the undergraduate programs of Physiotherapy from aspects such as the degree awarded, the duration of the program, the number of credits, the professional profile and the areas of training.
Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative research, in which the characteristics of a group of undergraduate physiotherapy programs in America, Europe and Australia are described in an analytical manner. This study does not require the approval of an ethics committee.
Results: A review was made of 94 programs from different parts of the world, which were categorized territorially and grouped in Latin America with a total of 39 programs, North America 12, Europe 36 and Australia 7. As By degree, in Latin America 8 degrees were found, in North America 10, in the European region 4 and in Australia 5 titles. The duration of the program is from 2 to 6 years in general. The number of credits in Latin American countries is between 142 and 371, in North America the number of credits ranges between 30 and 150 credits, which generally correspond to 3 "credit hours". In Europe , 50% of universities offer 240 credits, the rest range between 136 and 360 credits. Australia offer a number of differential credits almost by institution
Conclusion(s): It is concluded that there is great variety in times, degrees awarded and numbers of credits, it is difficult to double degree, exchanges, mobility and above all have a universal language from physiotherapy that allows advances in research, education and training in all countries and especially in developing countries.
Implications: The characterization of the training programs in the area of physiotherapy contributes to knowing the generic conditions of training of professionals and provides bases for the standardization and achievement of a high quality training, which allows the development of academic mobility programs and the exchanges of knowledge and expertise that promote the improvement of these processes.
Keywords: Undergraduate programs, Physiotherapy
Funding acknowledgements: Universidad de La Sabana
Purpose: Characterize the undergraduate programs of Physiotherapy from aspects such as the degree awarded, the duration of the program, the number of credits, the professional profile and the areas of training.
Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative research, in which the characteristics of a group of undergraduate physiotherapy programs in America, Europe and Australia are described in an analytical manner. This study does not require the approval of an ethics committee.
Results: A review was made of 94 programs from different parts of the world, which were categorized territorially and grouped in Latin America with a total of 39 programs, North America 12, Europe 36 and Australia 7. As By degree, in Latin America 8 degrees were found, in North America 10, in the European region 4 and in Australia 5 titles. The duration of the program is from 2 to 6 years in general. The number of credits in Latin American countries is between 142 and 371, in North America the number of credits ranges between 30 and 150 credits, which generally correspond to 3 "credit hours". In Europe , 50% of universities offer 240 credits, the rest range between 136 and 360 credits. Australia offer a number of differential credits almost by institution
Conclusion(s): It is concluded that there is great variety in times, degrees awarded and numbers of credits, it is difficult to double degree, exchanges, mobility and above all have a universal language from physiotherapy that allows advances in research, education and training in all countries and especially in developing countries.
Implications: The characterization of the training programs in the area of physiotherapy contributes to knowing the generic conditions of training of professionals and provides bases for the standardization and achievement of a high quality training, which allows the development of academic mobility programs and the exchanges of knowledge and expertise that promote the improvement of these processes.
Keywords: Undergraduate programs, Physiotherapy
Funding acknowledgements: Universidad de La Sabana
Topic: Education; Professional issues
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: Universidad de La Sabana
Ethics committee: Ethics Committee of Universidad de La Sabana
Reason not required: It does not imply application of tests in humans or animals
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
