This report provides defined performance outcomes for physical therapists at entrance into practice. These outcomes were determined after an iterative, national consensus-based process grounded in the physical therapy needs of society.
Defining these outcomes is the first of five core components of a competency-based education framework, and includes 19 entrustable professional activities, eight domains of competence, and 54 competencies.
Having a unified set of standardized outcomes promotes consistency in graduate preparedness and offers many benefits, including:
- For clinical faculty, these outcomes offer an opportunity to structure learning experiences in practice settings, provide targeted feedback, and support student development with greater clarity and purpose.
- For doctor of physical therapy programs, these outcomes provide a solid foundation for designing and aligning curricula to help facilitate student success.
- For doctor of physical therapy students, these outcomes clarify the expectations for entry-level practice, enabling them to identify, pursue, and be assessed on meaningful learning opportunities.
- For the public, these outcomes clearly define what physical therapists are educated to do and the value they provide to society.
This report serves as the initial step in exploring a transition to a competency-based education framework for physical therapy.