Educating Physical Therapists in Women's Health: Recommendations for Professional (Entry-Level) and Postprofessional Curricula

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Managing conditions unique to and more prevalent in women is an emerging trend in care. The key purposes of this study were to determine (1) practice patterns and emphasis of physical therapists, (2) how and to what extent physical therapists were educated about health, ( 3) curricular content deemed important in preparing practicing and professional (entry-level) physical therapists, and (4) by what means therapists may be interested in furthering their knowledge of health. Subjects and Methods. Subjects were a random sample (N = 1,021) of members of the Section on Women's Health of the American Physical Therapy Association who completed a survey on their practice emphasis, educational preparation in health, and opinions regarding content that should be taught at the professional and postprofessional levels in physical therapist education programs. Results. Thirty-seven percent of the subjects (n=347), representing 48 states, responded. A majority of respondents (n=204) reported that up to 25% of their practice involved treating specific issues and most had received minimal academic education specific to health. Examples of curricular content recommended for entry into the profession included osteoporosis, musculoskeletal conditions, obstetrics, and urogenital concerns, while pathology, pelvic floor assessment/treatment, endocrinology, and gynecology were recommended for the postprofessional level. Of the 347 who responded, practitioners' preference for postprofessional education was via continuing education (n=229) or certificate programs (n=227). Discussion and Conclusion. As physical therapist education program curricula evolve in response to degree advances and changes in care policy, educators can use this information to strengthen both professional and postprofessional curricula in health. Key Words: Women's health, Physical therapist education, Curriculum. INTRODUCTION Women's has become a national focus influencing everything from National Institutes of Health policy1 to nutrition options and vitamin supplements. Despite this interest, topics have been reported to be underrepresented in both professional and postprofessional physical therapist education programs.2,3 In 1979, Frahm wrote exposure to the OB/GYN area is noticeably sparse in the American physical therapy school curriculum.4 And now, over 25 years later, there is some question about the degree to which topics are being taught in physical therapist education programs today. According to A Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education, professional physical therapist education programs should graduate students who are sensitive to individual and cultural differences when engaged in physical therapy practice, research, and education.5 To effectively compare the effects of sex on diagnosis, prognosis, health, and wellness, physical therapist education needs to expand the traditional medical view of women's health which typically includes reproductive issues in adolescent girls and adult women.6,7 Instead, physical therapist educators should take steps to account for the broad spectrum of concerns throughout the lifespan and the relative differences between men and women in terms of behaviors, morbidity, disability, and mortality. Additional considerations may also need to be made regarding the demographic, social, cultural, and political influences on a woman's and her approach to care.7-11 Unfortunately, there is little evidence on the current status of content in physical therapy curricula. Therefore, the current study was developed to address the following purposes: (1) to determine practice patterns and practice emphasis of a national sample of physical therapists, (2) to determine how and to what extent these physical therapists were educated about issues, (3) to identify important curricular topics in preparing both practicing (postprofessional) and professional (entry-level) physical therapists to address care needs unique to women, and (4) to determine whether, and by what means, physical therapists were interested in advancing their knowledge of health. …