Cebulski P, Kincaid C, Kidd R, Torres E; Physical Therapy Department, University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI. pkc@umich.edu.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to create an opportunity for students to demonstrate skill in non direct patient care, professionally expected competencies. FOUNDATION: The Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) is commonly used to evaluate student outcome in clinical education. There are several expected skills within the CPI that relate to administration, education and research. Clinical educators report difficulty in providing learning experiences in the clinical setting leading to demonstration of student competence in these skills. Academic faculty can collaborate with clinical faculty to achieve this outcome with potential benefits for all concerned. DESCRIPTION: The authors created a new advanced practicum course, in addition to full-time clinical education, in which clinical educators offered special, non direct patient care opportunities for students. Each student worked with a clinical education site preceptor and/or an academic faculty mentor. The expected outcome was a tangible scholarly product. Examples included: students working with managers to develop marketing plans, quality assurance materials, patient education booklets, audiovisual products, and reviews of literature on focused diagnostic topics, among others. These activities met student educational needs as well as clinical faculty and clinical site needs. OBSERVATIONS: Clinical faculty, students and academic faculty were surveyed upon completion of the course. Feedback was very positive from all groups relative to the value of the experience and quality of the scholarly products. Minor suggestions for procedural changes related to the process have been recommended by some students. CONCLUSIONS: This alternative educational approach provides real life experiences for students related to the clinical expectations that are difficult to address in the areas of administration, education, and research. It also provides an opportunity for academic and clinical faculty to collaborate on projects of mutual interest. The learning experiences and scholarly products have been of excellent quality and for the most part are immediately useful to all parties. FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Copyright 2004 by the American Physical Therapy Association

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