A Survey of Entry-Level Physical Therapy Education Content for Vestibular Rehabilitation

Abstract

Introduction. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) represents an evolving area of physical therapy practice and is therefore pertinent to entry-level education. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the extent of content that should be covered in entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs. The first step in establishing standards of education in VR is to determine what content is currently taught and what is perceived to be important. The purpose of this study was to survey entry-level DPT programs as to what VR content is included in their curriculum and their perceptions of importance of VR examination and intervention techniques. Methods. Directors of 229 accredited physical therapy education programs in the United States were contacted to complete the survey. A task force of 3 clinicians and 4 faculty used a modified Delphi process to select survey items to examine content exposure, student assessment, and a rating for overall expected expertise. Modifications were made to the final survey for clarity and time requirements based on pilot survey data. Descriptive and correlational statistics were applied to the data. Results. Ninety-nine programs (43.23%) responded to the survey. More than 90% rated 7 vestibular conditions (unilateral vestibular hypofunction, posterior semicircular canal canalithiasis and cupulolithiasis, vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, bilateral vestibular hypofunction, and horizontal semicircular canal canalithiasis) as essential for entry-level practice. More than 90% of respondents rated all elements of clinical application and decision-making as essential for entry-level education except for billing/diagnosis codes. Most respondents expected students to perform at the intermediate or advanced beginner level in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation on graduation. Discussion and Conclusion. Disparities in VR content, expected level of performance, and the amount of time dedicated to VR exist. Vestibular rehabilitation education may not match current clinical practice. Future research should determine the level of education clinicians expect of entry-level DPT graduates.