How is musculoskeletal spinal content taught in entry-level doctor of physical therapy programs? A mixed-methods study.
Introduction: One explanation for inconsistent adherence to evidence-based recommendations in the management of spinal pain may be related to the physical therapist's philosophical approach, which is likely initiated during their entry-level education. A significant gap exists in the systematic stud...
| Publicado en: | Physiotherapy Theory & Practice Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 816 - 845 |
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| Autores principales: | , , |
| Formato: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Jun2026
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=194222184&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 194222184 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 09593985 BCJ jtl: Physiotherapy Theory & Practice issn: 09593985 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Jun2026 vid: 42 iid: 6 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 194222184 189901968 194222184 194222184 10.1080/09593985.2025.2600089 194222184 ppf: 816 ppct: 29 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: How is musculoskeletal spinal content taught in entry-level doctor of physical therapy programs? A mixed-methods study. aug: au: Kirker, Kaitlin Young, Jodi L. Masaracchio, Michael affil: Department of Physical Therapy, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY, USA sug: subj: Musculoskeletal Diseases Education Education, Physical Therapy Faculty Psychosocial Factors Faculty Attitudes Evaluation Curriculum Philosophy, Medical Teaching Methods Program Evaluation United States Human Funding Source Female Male Adult Middle Age Multimethod Studies Descriptive Statistics Curriculum Development Grounded Theory Thematic Analysis Learning Methods Integrated Curriculum Clinical Competence Spinal Diseases Education Physical Examination Education Physical Therapists Education Data Analysis Software Spine Pathology Spinal Diseases Diagnosis Disease Management Education Clinical Reasoning Skill Acquisition Professional Knowledge Accreditation Cross Sectional Studies Semi-Structured Interview Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Female Male ab: Introduction: One explanation for inconsistent adherence to evidence-based recommendations in the management of spinal pain may be related to the physical therapist's philosophical approach, which is likely initiated during their entry-level education. A significant gap exists in the systematic study of physical therapist education, prompting recent calls for meaningful reform within the field. The aims of this study were to identify the unique number of orthopedic philosophical approaches to teaching musculoskeletal spine content across DPT curricula and to explore the beliefs of faculty members regarding musculoskeletal spine education. Methods: This was a mixed methods research study with an electronic survey including both quantitative and qualitative questions, followed by an optional semi-structured virtual interview. Faculty members teaching musculoskeletal spine content in CAPTE-accredited DPT programs (n = 252) were invited to participate. Survey questions included demographics, orthopedic philosophical approaches, and methods of curricular design for teaching musculoskeletal spine content. The semi-structured interview explored themes in curricular design and approach to musculoskeletal spine education. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was analyzed using grounded theory procedures to explore themes. A convergent design with a merging approach was used for data integration. Results: Fifty-four faculty completed the survey, with 12 interviewed. A variety of orthopedic philosophical approaches were used, with all identified approaches implemented to some degree across DPT programs. Participants indicated that they do not implement one primary approach. Three overarching themes were revealed: Pragmatic Teaching and Learning Effectiveness, Curricular Integration for Adaptive Practice, and Clinical Applicability. Conclusion: Findings reveal underlying themes that may explain the variability in how musculoskeletal spine content is taught in DPT programs. Insights into the current educational atmosphere have the potential to inform curricular refinement to ensure entry-level education upholds its obligation to produce competent practitioners prepared to meet the needs of society. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Unknown language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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