EXPLORING GLOBAL APPROACHES TO PHYSIOTHERAPY EDUCATION

Abstract

The education process of physiotherapists has transformed significantly in recent decades as the sophistication of the health care systems across the globe has increased. In the past, physiotherapy courses were mostly designed to train physiotherapists in providing exercise therapy and manipulation in the hospital environment. However, nowadays, physiotherapists need to possess an extensive range of skills which include evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning, communication, technology, and multi-disciplinary health care teamwork. Various educational systems have been used by various countries based on the country’s health needs, resource availability, and the need for rehabilitation services. Countries which place a lot of emphasis on science will adopt a system which stresses specialization while countries whose aim is mainly clinical and community-based rehabilitation and public health may use other educational systems. Physiotherapy education today integrates classroom study with clinical exposure, research, online learning, and simulated learning environments. This chapter highlights the international trends in physiotherapy education by analyzing various aspects such as educational systems, methods used to teach physiotherapy education, modes of clinical training, technology, application, advantages, disadvantages, and future prospects. Knowledge about the international trends in physiotherapy education is very essential because it will enable the enhancement of physiotherapy education to produce competent practitioners in the future.