Prerequisite Anatomy Course Factors That Predict DPT Anatomy Course Grades
Purpose/Hypothesis:
This study was conducted to determine if correlations were evident between variables of undergraduate sources for completion of the anatomy prerequisite requirement and performance in the Functional Human Anatomy course completed during the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). The researchers hypothesized that grades received in the Functional Human Anatomy course would be positively correlated with prerequisite courses that were designated as higher level courses, courses taken at a 4 year university, and those taken as a separate subject.
Number of Subjects:
296 students.
Materials and Methods:
Information regarding undergraduate coursework submitted to satisfy the prerequisite requirement for Human Anatomy was analyzed for students who had completed the initial year of the DPT program at ETSU. Coursework was analyzed to determine if the course was taken at a community college or 4 year institution, if it was classified as lower or upper level, and if it was taught as a single subject or combined topic. The course grade for the Functional Human Anatomy class, which is taught in the initial semester of the DPT program at ETSU, was then compared to the prerequisite information for these same students to determine if specific correlations were present.
Results:
Variables were analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 24 statistical package to assess for bivariate correlations. Pearson Correlation Coefficients and a two-tailed test were used to determine significance. Statistically significant correlations were confirmed between grades received in the Functional Human Anatomy course and the type of institution where the prerequisite was taken as well as whether it was a separate or combined course. No correlation was noted between course classification as upper or lower level and the student’s grade in Functional Human Anatomy.
Conclusions:
Students enrolled in the DPT program at ETSU who had taken separate anatomy courses to satisfy their prerequisite requirement earned higher scores in the Functional Human Anatomy DPT course than those who had taken a combined Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) course. In addition, students who took their undergraduate anatomy course at a 4 year college or university received higher average grades in Functional Human Anatomy than those who completed the prerequisite at a 2 year community college. Whether the course was classified as upper level or lower level did not have a significant impact on student performance in the Functional Human Anatomy course.
Clinical Relevance:
The findings of this study would indicate that students applying for a DPT program should be encouraged to complete their prerequisite coursework to satisfy the Anatomy requirement as a separate course rather than a combined A&P course and to complete the course requirement at a 4 year institution rather than a community college in order to prepare for the greatest success in completion of the Anatomy course requirement within the DPT curriculum.