Pro-Active Tutoring for Students at Risk of Underperforming in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.
Purpose: The National Study of Excellence and Innovation in Physical Therapy Education identified self-directed life-long learning and learner-centered education as keys to creating a culture of excellence in physical therapy education. It also highlighted the importance of focusing attention on improving student outcomes, acquiring resources to support success, and identifying an array of options that lead to success. Information regarding strategies to improve student success and retention in physical therapy programs is limited. The benefit of tutoring as a mechanism of remediation for under-performing students is well-recognized. However, current literature does not address the benefits of small group tutoring as a proactive strategy to support students who are at-risk of underperforming. The purpose of this project was to implement a pro-active small group tutoring program for students in the first year of a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program who were identified as at risk for underperforming. Methods/Description: DPT students were identified as being at risk of underperforming based on cumulative GPA’s at or below 3.3, inconsistent performance within courses, or because they were consistently performing below the class average. Participation in small group tutoring was voluntary. Groups were limited to 3-5 students. Tutors were recent graduates or residents of the department of physical therapy. Tutoring sessions were held weekly for 2 hours. Students who opted into tutoring agreed to participate in all sessions. Results/Outcomes: Eleven students were offered small group tutoring during their first three semesters of the DPT curriculum. Eight students opted to participate in small group tutoring. One of the eight students had a cumulative GPA below 3.0 at the end of the first semester and was placed on academic probation. The other seven students maintained cumulative GPAs above 3.0. All students who participated in small group tutoring demonstrated an upward trend of cumulative GPA’s from semester to semester. The three students who declined participation in small group tutoring had been offered small group tutoring based on inconsistent performance within courses or because their performance was consistently below the class average. All three of these students maintained cumulative GPA’s above 3.5 for all three semesters. Surveys of students who participated in small group tutoring indicated that most students who participated in the small group tutoring found it beneficial. Student identified benefits of small group tutoring included improvements in study strategies, an opportunity to ask questions in a low stress environment, and a confirmation of the program’s commitment to helping all students succeed. The primary student perceived barrier to small group tutoring was scheduling. Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Early results from this innovative program indicate that small group tutoring can support physical therapy students who are at-risk of underperforming develop positive study strategies and avoid negative outcomes. Further research over a longer time period with more participants is needed to confirm these findings.