Validation of a Clinical Teaching Competency Framework for Physical Therapists: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy Education
• Clinical Competency Assessment
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• A competency framework for clinical teaching in physical therapy was previously established.
• Validation requires assessing end-user perceptions of value and utility.
• Clinical education faculty are key stakeholders in framework implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To further validate the Clinical Teaching Competency Framework.
• To gather input from clinical education faculty on the framework's value and utility.

Main Methods:

• Explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach.
• Surveys administered to clinical instructors (CIs) and site coordinators of clinical education (SCCEs).
• Two focus groups conducted via Zoom with survey respondents.

Main Results:

• High perceived value (93.1%) and utility for improving clinical education quality (94.1%) among faculty.
• Overarching theme of collective impact emerged from focus groups, with subthemes of assessment, CI development, implementation, and guidelines.
• No significant differences in responses based on faculty role or credentials.

Conclusions:

• Clinical education faculty perceive significant value and utility in the Clinical Teaching Competency Framework.
• Collaborative and consistent implementation across programs is recommended.
• Framework validation advances the development of essential support for clinical instructors.