Students preparing for a career as a physical therapist (PT) or physical therapist assistant rely on the expertise and mentorship of clinical instructors (CIs) to help them gain the hands-on knowledge and skills they'll need for success in the profession of physical therapy. Both CIs and students must be careful, however, to ensure that the relationship does not become unduly personal and threaten the integrity of the educational role. Consider the following scenario.

Heavy Lifting

Jim, a PT at a large rehabilitation hospital, relishes the opportunity to serve as a CI to students enrolled in the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program at nearby State University.

Jim, a State graduate, feels that the CIs who mentored him during his clinical rotations were invaluable in preparing him for success as a PT. He sees serving as a CI as a way of giving back to the profession and helping to ensure that today's students are as ready as they can be for the challenges that will await them as newly minted PTs. The learning curve at the hospital is steep: patient presentations often are complex, and learning the institution's ins and outs is difficult. Jim has greatly enjoyed his role in navigating bright, energetic students through their clinical rotations.