Reimagining Neurological Curriculum within an Accelerated Hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy Education Model
Purpose: To reflect upon the development and delivery of neurological content in an accelerated hybrid entry-level DPT education program.
Description: This session offers creative strategies to rethink and reorganize the essential content needed in an entry-level neurologic DPT curriculum in accelerated hybrid programs where the constraints of time give us the opportunity to reimagine the content and delivery of physical therapist education.
Summary of Use:
While CAPTE guidelines and the normative model provide a structure for entry-level DPT education, it is the responsibility of faculty to develop and deliver the essential content needed to prepare students for entry into the profession. As new evidence emerges and clinical practice transforms, we often add elements to the curriculum without eliminating potentially dated concepts from the past. This problem is compounded by the urge to teach everything we know. We ask students to be reflective practitioners, but as faculty we must also be reflective academicians. In this light, a team of neurological physical therapist faculty had the opportunity to reflect upon and develop a curriculum for an accelerated hybrid entry-level DPT program. The faculty team evaluated ground-based program curriculum and then created new streamlined and robust content for asynchronous sessions, synchronous sessions, lab immersions, and evaluative activities. The outcome was the reduction of almost 70 weeks of instruction in ground-based programs to 32 weeks of instruction in the accelerated hybrid program. The accelerated hybrid program consisted of four courses with a neurological focus, including (1) 6-week Movement Science course that integrated content for ICF, neuroplasticity, motor control, motor learning, and movement analysis, (2) 12-week Clinical Neuroscience course that emphasized neuroanatomy and neurophysiology with a clinical emphasis on the Neurological Screen and Examination, (2) and two, 7-week Neuromuscular Practice courses with emphasis on a framework for clinical decision making that integrated content from the Movement Science course, Clinical Neuroscience course, the ICF model, HOAC, the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, and Evidence-Based Practice.
Importance to Members:
Faculty are passionate about what is taught in the classroom. We love what we do! Unfortunately, in our excitement, we can quickly lose our way and bloat the curriculum with content that extends well beyond entry-level education. It is time to reflect upon best classroom practices and re-imagine a neurological curriculum that is essential for entry into the physical therapy profession. In this light we will not only ignite student learning, but also kindle the future of neurological practices.