Integration of Physical Therapist’s Expertise in the Emergency Medicine Curriculum: An Academic Model for Inter-Professional Education
Purpose
Patients presenting with acute musculoskeletal conditions comprise 15-20% of emergency room visits annually. Data suggests that musculoskeletal training is lacking in medical education curricula and more formalized training is needed to increase the knowledge and proficiency of residents practicing in an Emergency Department (ED) setting. The purpose of this presentation is to describe a novel musculoskeletal training session for emergency medicine (EM) residents developed and implemented by physical therapist faculty.
Methods/Description
The EM faculty observed deficits in their residents’ musculoskeletal examination performance in the ED. The EM faculty subsequently approached physical therapist faculty to provide an educational session on musculoskeletal conditions. Specifically, the EM faculty requested the educational session focus on the clinical examination and management of acute shoulder, ankle and knee injuries due to the higher incidence of patients presenting to the ED with these acute musculoskeletal complaints. The intervention was a hands-on training session provided by Emory University’s physical therapist faculty with assistance from third year physical therapist students. Knowledge was assessed using a written examination. Skills and patient education were assessed using a Clinical Skills Assessment Examination.
Results/Outcomes
The EM residents’ scores on the pre and post written examination scores increased from 10.1 (50.7%) to 15.2 (76.0%), which was a statistically significant improvement (p<.001). Although there was not a statistically significant difference between residents’ overall pre and post Objective Standardized Clinical Examination scores, there was a statistically significant improvement in the residents’ performance of special tests for the foot and ankle region (p<.05) and accuracy in instruction of rest, ice, compression and elevation interventions (p< .01).
Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Shaping the Future of Physical Therapy Education
Physical therapist faculty members providing musculoskeletal education within the Emergency Medicine curricula is a novel concept. Moreover, physical therapists have recently begun to assess and manage patients with musculoskeletal injuries in the ED, rendering inter-professional education between EM residents, physical therapists and physical therapist students logical preparation for future teamwork in clinical practice.
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