TY - JOUR
T1 - Doctor of Physical Therapy Education in a Hybrid Learning Environment
T2 - A Case Report
AU - Gagnon, Kendra
AU - Bachman, Teresa
AU - Beuning, Brett
AU - Koppenhaver, Shane
AU - Unverzagt, Casey
AU - Feda, Jessica
AU - Gantt, Christy
AU - Young, Brian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s).
PY - 2022/8/1
Y1 - 2022/8/1
N2 - Objective: The purpose of this case report is to describe the implementation and report early outcomes of a 2-year (6-trimester), hybrid doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program. Methods: The case report describes management of (1) academic affairs, (2) student affairs, (3) faculty affairs, and (4) institutional affairs for an accredited, fully hybrid, 2-year DPT program. In the hybrid program, students from across the country participate in synchronous and asynchronous online learning and travel to campus twice per trimester for immersive blocks of in-person laboratory instruction. The case report describes how the program structures the hybrid learning environment and reports outcomes from the first 2 graduated cohorts. Results: Program outcomes assessment revealed that 97% to 98% of students/graduates reported being somewhat or very satisfied with the 2-year hybrid DPT program at the end of DPT year 1, at graduation, and at 1 year after graduation. Clinical instructors reported that 84% of students were prepared or well-prepared for clinical education. At 1 year after graduation, 20% of graduates were enrolled in or had completed residency, National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) pass rate was 97%, and employment rate was 99%. Conclusion: Hybrid DPT education is feasible and may provide opportunities for more flexible and accessible delivery of DPT education. Outcomes of this case report suggest high student satisfaction, increased student/graduate diversity, and graduate outcomes comparable with national averages as reported in the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education aggregate data. Impact: This case report provides early evidence that hybrid DPT education - a type of blended learning that uses both face-to-face and online instructional strategies - is feasible, with student satisfaction and student/graduate outcomes comparable with national averages. Hybrid education may provide educators, programs, and institutions the flexibility to innovate in ways that address some of the immediate and long-term challenges facing physical therapist professional education while maintaining standards of excellence.
AB - Objective: The purpose of this case report is to describe the implementation and report early outcomes of a 2-year (6-trimester), hybrid doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program. Methods: The case report describes management of (1) academic affairs, (2) student affairs, (3) faculty affairs, and (4) institutional affairs for an accredited, fully hybrid, 2-year DPT program. In the hybrid program, students from across the country participate in synchronous and asynchronous online learning and travel to campus twice per trimester for immersive blocks of in-person laboratory instruction. The case report describes how the program structures the hybrid learning environment and reports outcomes from the first 2 graduated cohorts. Results: Program outcomes assessment revealed that 97% to 98% of students/graduates reported being somewhat or very satisfied with the 2-year hybrid DPT program at the end of DPT year 1, at graduation, and at 1 year after graduation. Clinical instructors reported that 84% of students were prepared or well-prepared for clinical education. At 1 year after graduation, 20% of graduates were enrolled in or had completed residency, National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) pass rate was 97%, and employment rate was 99%. Conclusion: Hybrid DPT education is feasible and may provide opportunities for more flexible and accessible delivery of DPT education. Outcomes of this case report suggest high student satisfaction, increased student/graduate diversity, and graduate outcomes comparable with national averages as reported in the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education aggregate data. Impact: This case report provides early evidence that hybrid DPT education - a type of blended learning that uses both face-to-face and online instructional strategies - is feasible, with student satisfaction and student/graduate outcomes comparable with national averages. Hybrid education may provide educators, programs, and institutions the flexibility to innovate in ways that address some of the immediate and long-term challenges facing physical therapist professional education while maintaining standards of excellence.
KW - Education: Distance Learning
KW - Education: Physical Therapist Students
KW - Professional Issues
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U2 - 10.1093/ptj/pzac074
DO - 10.1093/ptj/pzac074
M3 - Article
C2 - 35689811
AN - SCOPUS:85137009100
SN - 0031-9023
VL - 102
JO - Physical therapy
JF - Physical therapy
IS - 8
M1 - pzac074
ER -