Review Gold Open Access 2024

Competencies of undergraduate physiotherapy education: A scoping review

South African Journal of Physiotherapy
Journal · Vol. 80 · Issue 1 · Art. a1879
Abstract

Background: In recent years, the need for competency-based medical education has been emphasised. Each country needs a defined set of physiotherapy competencies from the associations and governing bodies. Objectives: Our review aimed to map competencies of undergraduate physiotherapy education and propose a context-specific competency framework for Namibia. Method: This scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and was reported using the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. Qualitative direct content analysis utilising the five main competency domains from the WHO Rehabilitation Competency Framework was adapted. Results: Five main competency domains were proposed: practice, professional growth and involvement, learning and development, management and leadership, and research. Nineteen potential competencies were identified, and each competency has a set of knowledge and skills activities that is expected of each student. Conclusion: The proposed competencies still need to undergo expert consensus and content validation before they can be adopted and implemented in Namibia. Future studies can explore the perspectives and experiences of the faculty, students and clinicians on the current status of competency-based education of undergraduate physiotherapy programme in Namibia. Similarly, future studies can focus on possible assessment strategies that can be used for each competency and an evaluation framework for assessing milestones in student competencies from entry into clinical education to graduation. Clinical implications: The review proposed a context-specific competency framework for Namibia with a set of knowledge and skills activities that is expected of each student. The faculty can adopt these competencies and improve on their competency-based physiotherapy education. © 2024. The Authors.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Competencies review Assessment strategies milestones evaluation Namibia undergraduate physiotherapy

Index Keywords

human medical education Systematic Review curriculum education leadership review therapy meta analysis professional practice rehabilitation clinician Content analysis clinical education consensus physiotherapy World Health Organization Namibia
Author Affiliations
Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
Department of Medical Education, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
Funding & Acknowledgements
Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research, FAIMER
The project is part of a bigger project in international medical education fellowship funded by the Foundation for the Advancement in International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER). The project is funded by a Seed Corn Grant from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia.
References 10 References
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