Shumba TW, Tekian A. Competencies of undergraduate physiotherapy education: A scoping review.
S Afr J Physiother 2024;
80:1879. [PMID:
38322654 PMCID:
PMC10839158 DOI:
10.4102/sajp.v80i1.1879]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Background
In recent years, the need for competency-based medical education has been emphasised. Each country needs a defined set of physiotherapy competencies from the associations and governing bodies.
Objectives
Our review aimed to map competencies of undergraduate physiotherapy education and propose a context-specific competency framework for Namibia.
Method
This scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and was reported using the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. Qualitative direct content analysis utilising the five main competency domains from the WHO Rehabilitation Competency Framework was adapted.
Results
Five main competency domains were proposed: practice, professional growth and involvement, learning and development, management and leadership, and research. Nineteen potential competencies were identified, and each competency has a set of knowledge and skills activities that is expected of each student.
Conclusion
The proposed competencies still need to undergo expert consensus and content validation before they can be adopted and implemented in Namibia. Future studies can explore the perspectives and experiences of the faculty, students and clinicians on the current status of competency-based education of undergraduate physiotherapy programme in Namibia. Similarly, future studies can focus on possible assessment strategies that can be used for each competency and an evaluation framework for assessing milestones in student competencies from entry into clinical education to graduation.
Clinical implications
The review proposed a context-specific competency framework for Namibia with a set of knowledge and skills activities that is expected of each student. The faculty can adopt these competencies and improve on their competency-based physiotherapy education.
Collapse