COMPETENCY EXPECTATIONS FOR FILIPINO SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPISTS BASED ON THE COMPETENCY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY THE IFSPT: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY

J.A. Vergara¹, C.R. Rimando¹

¹University of Santo Tomas, The Graduate School, Manila, Philippines

Background: The International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT) has listed 11 competency areas for sports physical therapists (SPT) as the standard of quality service delivery to guide practitioners in knowledge, skill development, and further specialization. These competency areas help SPTs become effective members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT). However, despite having numerous SPTs practicing locally, published documentation on the competencies required of SPTs in the Philippines is absent.

Purpose: This research study intended to explore the current competency areas and behavioral standards manifested by SPTs practicing in the Philippines. Specifically, this study sought to quantitatively determine the Filipino SPTs’ perceived significance of the competency areas identified by the IFSPT in local practice. Moreover, this study was aimed at qualitatively identifying competency expectations for SPTs in the Philippines based on the areas identified by the IFSPT through expert opinion.

Methods: This research used a convergent mixed-methods design which integrated a survey to quantitatively determine the Filipino SPT’s perceived significance of the IFSPT-identified competency areas, and an open-ended questionnaire to qualitatively identify competency expectations for SPTs in the Philippines based on these competency areas through expert opinion. Purposive sampling was used to recruit experts who:
(1) are licensed PTs in the Philippines;
(2) members of the national professional organization; and
(3) have practiced as a PT in any sport in the Philippines for ≤3 years.
Ten participants with a mean length of practice of 9.2 (4-17) years and expertise across 29 unique sports of diverse practice settings were included in the study.

Results: The experts have rated ten of the 11 competency areas (91%) with a median score of 6 (extremely significant) while the competency area of injury prevention (9%) garnered a median score of 5 (significant). The qualitative data analysis revealed multiple behavioral indicators which fit the predetermined competency areas from IFSPT guided by their corresponding competency statements. (i.e. injury prevention = athlete profiling and baseline testing, screening of factors for injury, creation of schedule of sporting activities, and athlete education on proper warm-up and body mechanics)

Conclusions: The convergence of the quantitative and qualitative data provided a more discerning view of the SPT practice in the Philippines. The 11 competency areas identified as important by participants may be considered as a minimum standard of practice for SPTs in the Philippines. The behavioral indicators posited by the participants have been classified within the 11 competency areas of the IFSPT. These behavioral indicators may be more reflective of the current standards in the local setting, which may facilitate ease in their integration in entry-level and expert practice.

Implications: Adopting the 11 competency areas and their respective contextualized behavioral manifestations will ensure that athletes and the sporting public are consistently cared for by Filipino SPTs who are bound by ethics, committed to quality service, and aware of recent evidence and best practice guidelines for optimal athlete care. Moreover, a similar study may be implemented in countries which lack proper documentation of current standards of SPT practice in their local setting.

Funding acknowledgements: This research project was unfunded.

Keywords:
Sports physical therapy
Standard
Philippines

Topics:
Professional issues
Sport & sports injuries
Service delivery/emerging roles

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of Santo Tomas

Committee: University of Santo Tomas-College of Rehabilitation Sciences Ethics Review Committee

Ethics number: FE-2021-018-OR