Clinical Teaching Competencies in Physical Therapist Education: A Modified Delphi Study.

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy Education
• Clinical Instruction
• Professional Competencies

Background:

• Clinical instructors are vital in physical therapist education but often lack formal training and clear performance expectations.
• Defining core teaching competencies is essential for effective clinical instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a consensus-based set of core competencies for clinical teaching in physical therapist education.
• To provide a framework for evaluating and developing clinical instructors.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi approach involving expert panels of clinical instructors and education coordinators was employed.
• Consensus was defined as 75% of participants rating a competency as very or extremely relevant, with a median score of 2 on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Three rounds of surveys with quantitative and qualitative data analysis were conducted.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four core competencies for clinical teaching in physical therapy achieved consensus.
• These competencies were organized into three domains: learner-centered educator (8 competencies), assessor/evaluator (7 competencies), and professional role model (9 competencies).

Conclusions:

• The identified 24 competencies and 3 domains form a foundational framework for clinical teaching in physical therapy.
• This framework clarifies the expected knowledge, skills, and attitudes for clinical instructors, enhancing professional education.