How do orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellows experience clinical reasoning? A phenomenological study.
BackgroundPurposeMethodsResultsConclusionClinical reasoning in orthopaedic physical therapy is a complex process requiring integration of diverse cognitive and psychomotor skills. Orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellows are recognized as clinical reasoning experts.The purpose of this study was t...
| Published in: | Physiotherapy Theory & Practice pp. 1 - 12 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Ltd
May2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=193999492&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 193999492 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 09593985 BCJ jtl: Physiotherapy Theory & Practice issn: 09593985 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: May2026 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 193999492 10.1080/09593985.2026.2676084 193999492 ppf: 1 ppct: 11 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: How do orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellows experience clinical reasoning? A phenomenological study. aug: au: Girard, Joe White, Josh affil: Hanover College sug: ab: BackgroundPurposeMethodsResultsConclusionClinical reasoning in orthopaedic physical therapy is a complex process requiring integration of diverse cognitive and psychomotor skills. Orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellows are recognized as clinical reasoning experts.The purpose of this study was to examine how orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellows experience clinical reasoning.A phenomenological method was used. The eight participants were all fellows in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists and engaged in semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Amedeo Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method. Researchers followed four steps: 1) bracketed biases and read transcripts; 2) segmented meaning units; 3) analyzed units to uncover themes; 4) described the experience’s essential structure.Data analysis revealed four themes: Receptive-Reflective Mind, Patient Presence, Empirical and Iterative Process, and Synthesis. The Receptive–Reflective Mind is a cognitive state that receives the clinical experience without premature decisions, encouraging real-time observation, and reflection. Patient Presence emphasizes that the patient remains central in all aspects of clinical reasoning. Empirical and Iterative Process describes the fellow’s method of choosing an iterative course of action based on data. Synthesis integrates the themes into a unified whole.The essential structure of participant’s clinical reasoning experience is a receptive, reflective mind-set attuned to the patient, where data-driven decisions are made per the patient’s desires and response. Although patient focus and data-driven processes align with prior research, this study highlights that a Receptive–Reflective Mind-set, marked by unbiased awareness and real-time reflection, underlies the experience of advanced reasoning. Future studies should examine this concept further. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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