Author : Christine McCallum
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 263 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (77 download)
Book Synopsis Integration of Service Learning Across a Professional Physical Therapy Curriculum by : Christine McCallum
Download or read book Integration of Service Learning Across a Professional Physical Therapy Curriculum written by Christine McCallum and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Health professional education programs, such as entry-level physical therapy programs, are faced with external challenges that require the re-examination and redesign of curriculums to ensure the needs of society and the needs of educational programs are met. Service learning is an ideal instructional methodology that can link the needs of these stakeholders where students and community partners both benefit. The purpose of this study was to design a curriculum for an entry-level physical therapy program that integrated service-learning opportunities whereby the needs of the education program and medically underserved adults within an Ohio county are met. A needs assessment/case study research design was used in this study. Three community health care clinics that provide services to medically underserved adults was the unit of analysis for this study. The study was completed in two phases. Phase One was a needs assessment that assessed the needs of medically underserved adults within a community in relation to access to physical therapy services. Phase Two consisted of the design of a conceptual framework for integrating service learning throughout an entry-level clinical doctorate physical therapy program. Results of Phase One revealed there was a lack of physical therapy providers for medically underserved adults; a lack of standardized screening or assessment processes to identify physical mobility problems; inadequate knowledge about the scope of physical therapy practice among health care providers and patients; and fragmented community resources and referrals for medically underserved adults with physical mobility problems. Results for Phase Two produced a conceptual framework for a physical therapy curriculum that integrates service learning opportunities throughout an eight semester program. A Community Health in Physical Therapy course and a service-learning assignment using reflection opportunities were designed as part of this study. The results suggest service-learning opportunities are present that could meet curricular requirements for an entry-level physical therapy program and the needs of medically underserved adults in a Ohio county. It is recommended that collaborative community-campus partnerships be established to improve access to physical therapy services for those who are medically underserved."--P. iv.