ACADEMIC AND CLINICAL FACULTY PARTNERSHIPS FOR CLINICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT
Purpose
Clinical education is an important and critical aspect of a Physical Therapist’s learning curriculum. Clinical Instructors (CI’s) must be prepared and ready to teach future doctors of physical therapy how to be well rounded and engaged clinicians. The purpose of this paper is to describe an innovative process of partnership between academic and clinical faculty for the development of clinical education, with sponsorship from our state Special Interest Group for Clinical Education (SIG-CE).
Methods/Description
A four phase model was used during the development of the course. Phase I focused on soliciting topic interest from the clinical education community. Phase II saw the development of a course outline and the procurement of speakers, as well as the marketing and advertisement of the course. Production and deliverance of the course itself was Phase III with post course evaluation as Phase IV.
Results/Outcomes
Ninety clinicians, consisting of Clinical Instructors, Center Coordinators of Clinical Education and Clinical Directors attended the one-day course. Course evaluations indicated that the objective of providing information on current topics of clinical education for both novice and experienced instructors was achieved. Ninety-three percent (93%) of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the course was worthwhile and met expectations for increasing knowledge of clinical instruction. Ninety-five percent (95%) of participants indicated being able to incorporate information learned at the course when working with students throughout various levels of clinical education experiences. This feedback suggests development of additional courses is likely to not only enhance the skills of clinlical educators but will also strengthen relationships between academic and clinical faculty. These strengthened partnerships will enrich clinical education experiences for students and promote excellence among clinical instructors.
Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Through the Looking Glass: Transforming Physical Therapy Education
Clinical education program development is important to both students and clinicians, and can lead to an enhanced clinical experience. Special interest groups such as a state SIG-CE can be a valuable resource to make courses specific to clinical education a reality. Involving both the academic and clinical community in the development of new courses will not only promote successful teaching in the clinic, it will also provide information about the clinical community's needs to assure creation of optimal student programs.
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