Embedding Population Health in Physical Therapist Professional Education

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Professions Education
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Healthcare is shifting towards societal health, emphasizing population health principles.
• The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the link between social determinants and population health outcomes.
• Integrating population health into professional education is vital for preparing future healthcare providers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the meaningful embedding of population health concepts into the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum.
• To provide realistic examples and activities for teaching population health.
• To highlight the importance of population health in addressing health disparities and promoting health equity.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing frameworks and competencies for population health in DPT curricula.
• Presenting three integration strategies: threading content, concentrated courses, or electives.
• Recommending experiential learning and interprofessional activities.

Main Results:

• Threading population health content throughout the DPT curriculum offers the best reinforcement of competencies.
• Experiential learning with authentic scenarios enhances understanding of real-world population health issues.
• Integrating current societal issues, like health equity and the COVID-19 pandemic, enriches student learning.

Conclusions:

• Intentional integration of population health principles is essential for DPT education.
• Experiential learning and interprofessional collaboration are key components of effective population health education.
• Focusing on health equity and current societal issues prepares physical therapists to address complex population health challenges.