DESIGNING FUTURE SKILLS IN PHYSIOTHERAPY EDUCATION: CREATIVITY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND DIGITAL COMPETENCIES IN THE AGE OF AL

Abstract

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies is changing the way healthcare is delivered and how future healthcare professionals are educated. Physiotherapy education, which traditionally combines theoretical learning, practical training, and clinical experience, now has an opportunity to use these technologies to make learning more flexible, interactive, and relevant to modern clinical practice. However, preparing future physiotherapists requires more than simply teaching students how to use digital tools. It requires the development of creativity, critical thinking, clinical reasoning, adaptability, and responsible digital competence. AI can support physiotherapy students by helping them explore complex concepts, generate ideas, access learning resources, practice clinical situations, and receive individualized feedback. At the same time, students need to recognize that AI-generated information may be inaccurate, incomplete, or biased. Therefore, they must learn to question, verify, and critically evaluate information before applying it to academic or clinical situations. Creativity is also essential because physiotherapy treatment often needs to be adapted according to a patient’s functional abilities, goals, preferences, and response to intervention. This chapter discusses the importance of developing future-ready skills in physiotherapy education in the age of AI, with particular emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, and digital competencies. It also considers the role of educators in guiding responsible technology use and maintaining patient-centered learning. A balanced approach, where AI supports rather than replaces human knowledge and clinical judgment, can help prepare physiotherapy students to become adaptable, confident, ethical, and digitally competent professionals. The effective integration of technology with human-centered skills may therefore contribute to a more innovative and future-ready physiotherapy education system.