GRADING RUBRIC: THEORY, DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL PRACTICAL EXAMINATIONS IN A DPT CURRICULUM. Margaret A. Mazzone*; Gregory S. Ford Department of Physical Therapy, Daemen College, Amherst, NY UNIQUE: The education and training of physical therapist students to be accomplished in direct patient care is a complex, multifaceted process which requires the acquisition of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective competencies. Assessment of acquisition of such skills is commonly accomplished through written and practical examinations. A comprehensive and detailed grading rubric was developed for the scoring of practical examinations. Use of this uniform grading rubric has the potential to enhance objectivity in an otherwise relatively subjective evaluation of learning. The innovative nature of the grading rubric seeks to improve student learning and skill acquisition by clearly defining expectations as well as providing a vehicle for detailed student feedback. PURPOSE: A rubric for grading practical examinations was developed to clarify the expectations for student performance, promote objectivity and consistency in grading, and provide specific feedback to the students regarding their performance in an effort to further augment their learning. FOUNDATION: The use of grading rubrics have become an accepted educational assessment tool in the field of education, and have been utilized to grade student generated materials such as written assignments, oral presentations and portfolios, as well as problem solving processes. However, there is lack of evidence in the literature of the use and effectiveness of such rubrics for practical examinations particularly in physical therapy education. Implementation of a rubric sets forth the expectations regarding competencies the students are to communicate and demonstrate during the practical examination. This explicit description of skills within the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains, allows the student to prepare appropriately to meet the expected competencies. Within the practical examination the grading rubric guides the instructor to systematically and objectively score the students' performance. Additionally, the rubric serves as a tool for provision of feedback to students following the practical experience, specifically detailing strengths while providing constructive feedback to promote further learning. DESCRIPTION: A comprehensive grading rubric was developed for use during practical examinations within the musculoskeletal coursework within the DPT curriculum. The practical examination itself reflects the skills and abilities necessary to complete direct patient management. The scoring rubric parallels those abilities and skills and are based on the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective competencies necessary to carry out the Five Elements of Patient Management as defined in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice (2nd ed). A continuum of explicit discrete criterion is provided for the student across the sections of the examination with specific points earned based on quality of student performance. With respect to Examination, students are challenged to interpret provided patient history and prioritize and perform appropriate tests and measures to confirm a working hypothesis of pathophysiology. Prior to performance of the tests and measures, students are asked to provide the biomechanical rationale for a given test or measure. Student Evaluation skills are assessed through their ability to make clinical judgments regarding tests and measures based on the provided data, as well as their ability to determine an accurate physical therapy Diagnosis. Prognosis is established by the student, followed by demonstration of appropriate Intervention strategies. The student's ability to communicate with the patient throughout the practical is also assessed. OBSERVATIONS: Initial use of the rubrics has been perceived to be positive for students and faculty alike. It has facilitated detailed feedback as a vehicle for effective communication regarding performance. Additionally, use of the rubric has promoted a sense of equity during practical examinations when random assignment of students to course instructors is employed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of grading rubrics in the educational processes involved in the training of physical therapist students has the potential to improve assessment of student learning and positively contribute to the overall educational experience. Examination of the use and effectiveness of the rubric, reliability, impact on student preparation and performance, as well as student and faculty perceived benefits should be the subject of future investigations. FUNDING SOURCE: none KEYWORDS: Education: Physical Therapist Students, Rubric, Practical Examination Copyright 2009 by the American Physical Therapy Association. Requests for reprints should be directed to the corresponding author of the article. Educators, students, and other academic customers may receive permission to reprint copyrighted material from Physical Therapy (ISSN 1538-6724) by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center Inc, 222 Rosewood Dr, Danvers, MA 01923. Other types of customers who want permission to reprint should contact the APTA Editorial Office, Attn: Physical Therapy.