Curricular integration of a 4-year simulation-based education program on clinical reasoning for physiotherapy...

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy Education
• Medical Simulation
• Clinical Reasoning Development

Background:

• Simulation-based education (SBE) is underutilized in physiotherapy, often lacking systematic integration into curricula.
• This limits the development of clinical reasoning (CR), a crucial competence for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the design, implementation, and refinement of a four-year SBEP.
• To focus the SBEP on fostering CR in physiotherapy students.

Main Methods:

• A four-year SBEP was designed and implemented using an instructional and quality-improvement approach.
• The program was integrated into compulsory coursework from 2015-2019, undergoing iterative refinement over ten academic cycles.
• SQUIRE-EDU guidelines were followed for program development and evaluation.

Main Results:

• Developed 27 simulation scenarios integrated across four academic years.
• 1,441 students completed the SBEP, with 80% of physiotherapy faculty trained in simulation methodology.
• Program refinements focused on scenario fidelity, feasibility, and alignment with CR sub-processes based on feedback.

Conclusions:

• A longitudinal, curriculum-integrated SBEP can support progressive development of CR competencies in physiotherapy.
• This work provides a transferable framework for designing, integrating, and improving SBEPs for CR.
• The approach offers a replicable model for health professions institutions integrating simulation into curricula.