A conceptual framework for orthotic and prosthetic education

Area of Science:

• Orthotics and Prosthetics Education
• Clinical Reasoning Development
• Healthcare Education Frameworks

Background:

• Current orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) education lacks focus on variables influencing patient outcomes beyond direct care.
• Restructuring curricula around clinical reasoning variables can enhance teaching, learning, and practice.
• There is a need to better conceptualize factors affecting O&P patient outcomes for students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel educational framework for orthotics and prosthetics (O&P).
• To enhance the clinical reasoning skills of O&P students.
• To provide a structured approach for O&P education.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a scoping review of relevant literature.
• Identified key variables related to orthotic and prosthetic usability.
• Performed a qualitative thematic analysis with input from O&P clinical educators.

Main Results:

• Identified three thematic areas influencing O&P outcomes: patient's health status (ICF), technical aspects of O&P devices and procedures, and professional services.
• Developed a conceptual framework for O&P education incorporating these three areas.
• Integrated the framework within a patient-centered care model.

Conclusions:

• A conceptual framework for O&P education was developed from literature.
• This framework offers a structure for exploring clinical reasoning in O&P.
• The framework aims to advance the teaching and assessment of students' clinical reasoning skills in O&P.