To educate Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students about the unique needs of patients-clients living in rural America and empower them to design innovative plans of care for their patients-clients that address the inequities created by the SDH and improve their overall health outcomes.
In U.S.A. approximately 20% of the population is rural but, in several states, where there is a larger rural population such as Oklahoma (34%) and South Dakota (43.7%), two DPT programs took action. Program 1 in Oklahoma, USA created a rural mission focused on graduating clinician generalists willing to serve the underserved in rural communities addressing minority health and minority health disparities. To address this mission, DPT students were exposed to experientially learning about: 1. rehabilitation of farmers/ranchers and prescribing assistive technology to return farmer/rancher back to work via farm visits and patient interviews; 2. vulnerable populations and advocating on their behalf to state legislators, 3. conducting a needs assessment of rural communities and designing a simulated PT practice to provide at least 25% pro bono service to the uninsured/underinsured in the community and 4. completing at least 1 rural clinical internship prior to graduation. Program Two in South Dakota has a mission to develop scholars, practitioners, and life-long learners who provide evidence based physical therapist services throughout the patient lifespan and demonstrate leadership within rural and medically underserved practice environments. To address the mission, students: 1. complete a minimum of 2 clinicals in rural/underserved areas; 2. have the opportunity to participate in an immersive service learning experience to underserved populations inside/outside the USD; and 3. have the opportunity to become exercises buddies with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
DPT student self-reflections at graduation from both programs indicated that 100% students felt better prepared to and reported an increased willingness to work in rural America post licensure.
DPT student didactic learning coupled with experiential exposure to rural practice of physiotherapy is critical to emphasize the dire need for graduates to recognize their important role in addressing the SDH that pose unique challenges for their patients especially those who are elderly and remain underserved in these communities.
Physiotherapy educations programs across the globe willing to graduate physiotherapists with increased sensitivity towards working with patients-clients in rural communities can modify the above strategies/need to inculcate the requisite buy-in for rural practice in their students.
Rural Physiotherapy
Success Strategies
