Training physiotherapy students in basic wheelchair provision. Experiences at two universities in Colombia

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Sciences
• Health Professions Education
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Wheelchair provision training is crucial for health professionals to address knowledge gaps.
• Effective training enhances service quality and supports personal mobility for individuals with impairments.
• Lack of knowledge among professionals creates barriers to appropriate wheelchair services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a wheelchair service provision training intervention for physiotherapy students in Colombia.
• To assess differences in knowledge test performance between two student cohorts.
• To explore students' perceptions of the training post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative retrospective study with a descriptive-comparative design.
• 525 physiotherapy students completed the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals Wheelchair Service Provision - Basic Test.
• The study evaluated knowledge across seven domains: Assessment, Prescription, Products, Fitting, User training, Follow-up/maintenance/repairs, and Process.

Main Results:

• The training intervention led to a 57% increase in test approval rates.
• Participants showed significant improvements in knowledge, satisfaction with course content, and perceived application to work.
• The study identified cohort differences in performance on the knowledge test.

Conclusions:

• The training intervention was successfully implemented, improving physiotherapy students' knowledge of wheelchair service provision.
• Results suggest pedagogical approaches and curricular changes needed for effective training in the Colombian context.
• Enhanced professional capacity in wheelchair provision supports interprofessional education and better services for individuals with mobility impairments.