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K. Belcastro Ergen1, A. Yağcıoğlu1
1Yeditepe University, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department, Istanbul, Turkey
Background: National and international organizations provide accreditation opportunities for higher education programs to ensure competence and consistency in specific areas of study. The World Physiotherapy (WPT) offers a comprehensive accreditation program in which all aspects of the review and assessment process are set according to predefined standards to ensure that physiotherapy students all over the world are gaining the necessary knowledge and skill set to become successful physiotherapists. It aims to contribute to the international development of professional education, resulting in improved physiotherapy service quality and availability.
Purpose: Yeditepe University applied for accreditation to ensure the physiotherapy and rehabilitation department (PTR) was upholding the standards set by the international community for its students, to learn how it could better improve the curriculum, to find the areas in which specific programs and procedures could use improvement, and to broaden its global network for research collaboration.
Methods: To begin this process, the physiotherapy and rehabilitation department assigned one staff member as an accreditation lead (AcL) to oversee all information collection and communication with the WPT. The AcL carried out an intensive self-assessment of Yeditepe University’s Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department by surveying the current and recent graduates using a SWOT analysis. Later, an elaborate application was prepared based on the requirements of World Physiotherapy under the following categories: educational instuition, academics, resources, academic program, clinical education, and program outcomes and assessment. Each category required extensive evidence-based documentation with description of the University as a whole and the PTR’s programs and procedures.
To maximize efficiency with the documentation process the AcL formed and lead small strategy groups, 2-4 staff members, based on the targeted category to collect all the necessary information. After all documentation was submitted and reviewed by the AcL, the WPT selected the reviewers for the site visit. Prior to the visit, the reviewers completed their initial review of the evidence submitted, requesting additional evidence and documentation as needed. This documentation was prepared and given to the reviewers at the beginning of the site visit. During the site visit, the reviewers participated in multiple meetings with various faculty, students, advisors, and clinical instructors. Their report was then given to the WPT Board of Education for final review.
To maximize efficiency with the documentation process the AcL formed and lead small strategy groups, 2-4 staff members, based on the targeted category to collect all the necessary information. After all documentation was submitted and reviewed by the AcL, the WPT selected the reviewers for the site visit. Prior to the visit, the reviewers completed their initial review of the evidence submitted, requesting additional evidence and documentation as needed. This documentation was prepared and given to the reviewers at the beginning of the site visit. During the site visit, the reviewers participated in multiple meetings with various faculty, students, advisors, and clinical instructors. Their report was then given to the WPT Board of Education for final review.
Results: Yeditepe University’s PTR department successfully gained full accreditation.
Conclusions: Full accreditation by the WPT assists our department in encouraging the highest possible standards of physiotherapy research, education, and practice. It establishes a foundation for excellence in resource management, best practices, and continuous improvement. It is a great honor to be recognized as a PT program that meets international standards for physiotherapy education. It opens up great collaboration opportunities with national and international organizations, while uniting the PT profession to enhance global health and wellbeing.
Implications: To help our field expand, unite, and deepen its integration into the healthcare system, more universities must participate in the accreditation process. Universities can use the WPT's accreditation program to ensure that their physiotherapy students are receiving the necessary education to work as practicing physiotherapists around the world.
Funding acknowledgements: The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this abstract.
Keywords:
Accreditation
Education
Research
Accreditation
Education
Research
Topics:
Education
Education: methods of teaching & learning
Education: clinical
Education
Education: methods of teaching & learning
Education: clinical
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Reason: This abstract does not require ethical approval as it review of how Yeditepe University conducted their accreditation process to gain full accreditation from World Physiotherapy. There was no patient/subject involvement.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
