Abstract
BackgroundThe demand for health professionals continues to increase, partially due to the aging population and the high proportion of practitioners nearing retirement. The University of British Columbia (UBC) has developed a program to address this demand, by providing support for internationally trained Physiotherapists in their preparation for taking the National Physiotherapy competency examinations.The aim was to create a program comprised of the educational tools and infrastructure to support internationally educated physiotherapists (IEPs) in their preparation for entry to practice in Canada and, to improve their pass rate on the national competency examination.MethodsThe program was developed using a logic model and evaluated using program evaluation methodology. Program tools and resources included educational modules and curricular packages which were developed and refined based on feedback from clinical experts, IEPs and clinical physical therapy mentors. An examination bank was created and used to include test-enhanced education. Clinical mentors were recruited and trained to provide clinical and cultural support for participants.ResultsThe IEP program has recruited 124 IEPs, with 69 now integrated into the Canadian physiotherapy workforce, and more IEPs continuing to apply to the program. International graduates who participated in the program had an improved pass rate on the national Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE); participation in the program resulted in them having a 28% (95% CI, 2% to 59%) greater possibility of passing the written section than their counterparts who did not take the program. In 2010, 81% of all IEP candidates who completed the UBC program passed the written component, and 82% passed the clinical component.ConclusionThe program has proven to be successful and sustainable. This program model could be replicated to support the successful integration of other international health professionals into the workforce.
Highlights
The demand for health professionals continues to increase, partially due to the aging population and the high proportion of practitioners nearing retirement
The number of mentors trained was sufficient for the number of internationally educated physiotherapists (IEPs) residing in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, there were challenges pairing mentors with IEPs who resided out of the Lower Mainland, those IEPs in rural areas
Mobile and small group mentorship models were developed, which involved mentors from the Lower Mainland travelling to meet with IEPs in remote areas
Summary
The demand for health professionals continues to increase, partially due to the aging population and the high proportion of practitioners nearing retirement. The University of British Columbia (UBC) has developed a program to address this demand, by providing support for internationally trained Physiotherapists in their preparation for taking the National Physiotherapy competency examinations. The aim was to create a program comprised of the educational tools and infrastructure to support internationally educated physiotherapists (IEPs) in their preparation for entry to practice in Canada and, to improve their pass rate on the national competency examination. The increasing demographic presence of ‘visible minorities’ and internationally-trained professionals, demands equal access to employment opportunities that support practice in occupational roles according to their qualifications and work experience. Support for this transition is essential to maximize skilled contribution to the development of a internationally-trained health professionals. Others will require retraining in the basic sciences and clinical skills [6]
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