Development of a course for final year physical therapy students

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy Education
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Challenges in integrating new courses into existing medical curricula.
• Need for structured content planning in higher education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of a "Coordinated Rehabilitation" course.
• To outline the integration process within a B.Sc. physical therapy program.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing medical curricula to identify problem areas.
• Utilized a content grid for systematic course integration and content sequencing.
• Defined course objectives, structure, evaluation, teaching strategies, and learning activities.

Main Results:

• A structured approach to course development was successfully implemented.
• The content grid facilitated effective integration and sequencing of material.
• Student reactions to the new course were summarized.

Conclusions:

• The systematic development process, aided by a content grid, is effective for integrating new courses.
• The Coordinated Rehabilitation course was successfully implemented in the final year of the physical therapy curriculum.
• Student feedback provides valuable insights for future curriculum enhancements.