Karges J.R.1, Chaudry A.N.2, Peterson C.3, Beasley E.4
1University of South Dakota, Department of Physical Therapy, Vermillion, SD, United States, 2Langston University, School of Physical Therapy, Langston, OK, United States, 3University Of The Pacific, Physical Therapy, Stockton, United States, 4Langston University, School of Physical Therapy, Langston, Oklahoma, United States
Background: Physiotherapy education includes classroom or didactic learning and clinical or experiential learning. Regardless of geographic area, a student physiotherapist must demonstrate proficiency in both these areas. For experiential learning, student is expected to complete a specified number of full time internships in clinical settings. During each clinical internship student is required to work under the direction and supervision of a physiotherapist who serves as student's clinical instructor (CI). The CI is typically not an academic faculty member and is instead a clinical physiotherapist who has voluntarily agreed to serve as student's educator while continuing to perform his/her job duties in the clinic.
In many regions of the world, the CI assumes this role potentially without receiving any formal education on being a CI. However, the CI is expected to be a professional role model, use effective interpersonal communication skills to establish rapport with student, design appropriate clinical learning experiences for different levels of student learning, and provide opportunities to integrate classroom learning into real life patient/client management scenarios. The CI must also ensure student proficiency in verbal/written communication skills and in ethical and legal clinical decision making. Additionally, the CI must accurately assess student performance to identify and report strengths/deficits in student learning to the academic program. This places a burden on CI to assure proper mentoring coupled with accurate application of the assessment tools.
In many regions of the world, the CI assumes this role potentially without receiving any formal education on being a CI. However, the CI is expected to be a professional role model, use effective interpersonal communication skills to establish rapport with student, design appropriate clinical learning experiences for different levels of student learning, and provide opportunities to integrate classroom learning into real life patient/client management scenarios. The CI must also ensure student proficiency in verbal/written communication skills and in ethical and legal clinical decision making. Additionally, the CI must accurately assess student performance to identify and report strengths/deficits in student learning to the academic program. This places a burden on CI to assure proper mentoring coupled with accurate application of the assessment tools.
Purpose: It is crucial for physiotherapy education programs to collaborate with the clinical internship placement facilities to assist with professional development and training of clinical physiotherapists as CI to bridge the gap between academia and clinic. The purpose is for participants to identify varied strategies to progress a CI from novice to an expert across the globe, as well as to develop a plan for integrating CI skill training in professional development of clinical physiotherapists to bridge the gap between classroom and clinic across the globe.
Methods: Current literature, anecdotal experiences from across the globe, and varied strategies to groom CIs as exemplary teachers in the clinic are shared in this session.
Results: Research indicates that thus far, there is no formalized training or education program required to be completed by clinical physiotherapists prior to becoming CIs. Some physiotherapy education programs, healthcare facilities, and professional organizations have recognized the need to train physiotherapists to become CIs and offer a variety of learning opportunities to the CI. Research indicates a lack of consistency in the content of these opportunities.
Conclusion(s): Academic programs must recognize CIs as clinical faculty and commit to the professional development of clinical faculty. In doing so, the academic program will progressively build a pool of exemplary CIs equipped to interact confidently and competently with their students thereby enhancing the students clinical learning experience.
Implications: Intrinsic and extrinsic factors that impact a clinical physiotherapists transition to a CI are essential in designing a development program to progress the CI from a novice to an expert.
Funding acknowledgements: NA
Topic: Education: clinical
Ethics approval: NA
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
