A place to call our home: innovative rural physical therapy training in Canada.
Distance education
Distributed learning
Physical therapy
Rural health
Rural health workforce
Journal
BMC medical education
ISSN: 1472-6920
Titre abrégé: BMC Med Educ
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101088679
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 Oct 2024
10 Oct 2024
Historique:
received:
19
04
2024
accepted:
04
10
2024
medline:
11
10
2024
pubmed:
11
10
2024
entrez:
10
10
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
To promote rural practice and increase enrollment in the entry-level Master of Science Physical Therapy program at the University of Alberta, the Department of Physical Therapy developed a rural physical therapy satellite campus located in a farming region in central Alberta. A distributed learning format was used to connect the rural cohort to the main urban campus. Real time video conferencing was used to connect the two campuses for all lectures, seminars and clinical skills classes. This evaluation aimed to describe a unique rural training program for physical therapy students and its effectiveness in promoting work in rural communities after graduation. Physical Therapy students in the first three years (2012-2015) of commencing the rural satellite program (n = 280) were surveyed, and six focus groups were held to capture student experiences, satisfaction and engagement. Data were collected on employment locations of the 2012-2019 graduates' first physical therapy position and current employment. Survey results suggested comparable levels of satisfaction and engagement for all physical therapy students regardless of campus. Focus group data revealed that students quickly accepted the distributed learning technological interface, enjoyed their local campuses, and felt connected to instructors and student colleagues. Compared to the overall physical therapy workforce, a higher percentage of physical therapists graduating from the rural campus reported working in rural centers for both their first and current jobs. Regardless of campus, students were satisfied and equally engaged in the physical therapy program. Students who completed the physical therapy program in a rural setting tended to work rurally after graduation. A distributed learning model may be useful for other healthcare training programs to promote engagement in rural health.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
To promote rural practice and increase enrollment in the entry-level Master of Science Physical Therapy program at the University of Alberta, the Department of Physical Therapy developed a rural physical therapy satellite campus located in a farming region in central Alberta. A distributed learning format was used to connect the rural cohort to the main urban campus. Real time video conferencing was used to connect the two campuses for all lectures, seminars and clinical skills classes. This evaluation aimed to describe a unique rural training program for physical therapy students and its effectiveness in promoting work in rural communities after graduation.
METHODS
METHODS
Physical Therapy students in the first three years (2012-2015) of commencing the rural satellite program (n = 280) were surveyed, and six focus groups were held to capture student experiences, satisfaction and engagement. Data were collected on employment locations of the 2012-2019 graduates' first physical therapy position and current employment.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Survey results suggested comparable levels of satisfaction and engagement for all physical therapy students regardless of campus. Focus group data revealed that students quickly accepted the distributed learning technological interface, enjoyed their local campuses, and felt connected to instructors and student colleagues. Compared to the overall physical therapy workforce, a higher percentage of physical therapists graduating from the rural campus reported working in rural centers for both their first and current jobs.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of campus, students were satisfied and equally engaged in the physical therapy program. Students who completed the physical therapy program in a rural setting tended to work rurally after graduation. A distributed learning model may be useful for other healthcare training programs to promote engagement in rural health.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39390452
doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-06136-0
pii: 10.1186/s12909-024-06136-0
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1115Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
Références
Roots RK, Li LC. Recruitment and retention of occupational therapists and physiotherapists in rural regions: a meta-synthesis. BMC Health Serv Res. 2013;13(1):59.
doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-13-59
Couch A, Menz HB, Coker F, White J, Haines T, Williams C. Factors that influence workplace location choices in the different allied health professions: a systematic review. Aust J Rural Health. 2021;29(6):823–34.
doi: 10.1111/ajr.12768
Strasser R. Learning in context: education for remote rural health care. Rural Remote Health. 2016;16(2):1–6.
Tolhurst HM, Adams J, Stewart SM. An exploration of when urban background medical students become interested in rural practice. Rural Remote Health. 2006;6(1):1–11.
Ray RA, Young L, Lindsay D. Shaping medical student’s understanding of and approach to rural practice through the undergraduate years: a longitudinal study. BMC Med Educ 2018, 18(1).
Isaac V, Watts L, Forster L, McLachlan CS. The influence of rural clinical school experiences on medical students’ levels of interest in rural careers. Hum Resour Health. 2014;12(1):48.
doi: 10.1186/1478-4491-12-48
Sheppard L, Nielsen I. Rural and remote physiotherapy: its own discipline. Aust J Rural Health. 2005;13(3):135–6.
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1854.2005.00697.x
Martin R, Mandrusiak A, Lu A, Forbes R. New-graduate physiotherapists’ perceptions of their preparedness for rural practice. Aust J Rural Health. 2020;28(5):443–52.
doi: 10.1111/ajr.12669
Government of Alberta. Current provincial population estimates [Internet]. Alberta, Canada: Government of Alberta 2022 [Updated 2022 January 19; cited April 2024]. Available from: https://www.alberta.ca/population-statistics
College of Physiotherapists of Alberta. 2022 Annual Report [Internet]. Edmonton, Canada: College of Physiotherapists of Alberta; 2023 [cited April 2024]. Available from: https://www.cpta.ab.ca/about/annual-report/
Liu X, Seidel JE, McDonald T, Patel AB, Waters N, Bertazzon S, Shahid R, Marshall DA. Rural-urban disparities in realized spatial access to general practitioners, orthopedic surgeons, and physiotherapists among people with osteoarthritis in Alberta, Canada. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(13):7706.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19137706
Fyfe T, McDavid K, Raworth R, Snadden D. Medical education distribution in British Columbia: a thriving partnership. J Can Health Libr Association. 2009;30(2):47–9.
doi: 10.5596/c09-015
Lee J, Walus A, Billing R, Hillier LM. The role of distributed education in recruitment and retention of family physicians. Postgrad Med J. 2016;92(1090):436–40.
doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2015-133577
Chipps J, Brysiewicz P, Mars M. A systematic review of the effectiveness of videoconference-based tele-education for medical and nursing education. Worldviews Evidence-Based Nurs. 2012;9(2):78–87.
doi: 10.1111/j.1741-6787.2012.00241.x
Gray K, Krogh K, Newsome D, Smith V, Lancaster D, Nestel D. TelePresence in rural medical education: a mixed methods evaluation. J Biomedical Educ. 2014 (art id 823639):1–8.
Means B, Toyama Y, Murphy R, Bakia M, Jones K. Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: a meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. US Department of Education; 2010. Available from: https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf
Jones AYM, Dean E, Hui-Chan C. Comparison of teaching and learning outcomes between video-linked, web-based, and classroom tutorials: an innovative international study of profession education in physical therapy. Comput Educ. 2010;54(4):1193–201.
doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.11.005
MacLaughlin EJ, Supemaw RB, Howard KA. Impact of distance learning using videoconferencing technology on student performance. Am J Pharm Educ. 2004;68(3):1–6.
Williams SL. The effectiveness of distance education in allied health science programs: a meta-analysis of outcomes. Am J Distance Educ. 2006;20(3):127–41.
doi: 10.1207/s15389286ajde2003_2
Gingerich A, Van Volkenburg K, Maurice S, Simpson C, Roots R. Urban ideals and rural realities: physiotherapists navigating paradox in overlapping roles. Med Educ. 2021;55(10):1183–93.
doi: 10.1111/medu.14476
Martin F, Sun T, Westine CD, Ritzhaupt AD. Examining research on the impact of distance and online learning: a second-order meta-analysis study. Educational Res Rev. 2022;36:100438.
doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100438
Veerapen K, McAleer S. Students’ perception of the learning environment in a distributed medical programme. Med Educ Online. 2010;15(1):5168.
doi: 10.3402/meo.v15i0.5168
Pluye P, Hong QN. Combining the power of stories and the power of numbers: mixed methods research and mixed studies reviews. Annu Rev Public Health. 2014;35(1):29–45.
doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182440
Congdon HB, Nutter DA, Charneski L, Butko P. Impact of hybrid delivery of education on student academic performance and the student experience. Am J Pharm Educ. 2009;73(7):121.
doi: 10.5688/aj7307121
Callas PW, Bertsch TF, Caputo MP, Flynn BS, Doheny-Farina S, Ricci MA. Medical student evaluations of lectures attended in person or from rural sites via interactive videoconferencing. Teach Learn Med. 2004;16(1):46–50.
doi: 10.1207/s15328015tlm1601_10
Kidd RS, Stamatakis MK. Comparison of students’ performance in and satisfaction with a clinical pharmacokinetics course delivered live and by interactive videoconferencing. Am J Pharm Educ. 2006;70(1):10.
doi: 10.5688/aj700110
Fox BI, McDonough SL, McConatha BJ, Marlowe KF. Establishing and maintaining a satellite campus connected by synchronous video conferencing. Am J Pharm Educ. 2011;75(5):91.
doi: 10.5688/ajpe75591
Webster J, Hackley P. Teaching effectiveness in technology-mediated distance learning. Acad Manag J. 1997;40(6):1282–1309.
doi: 10.2307/257034
Sargeant JM. Medical education for rural areas: opportunities and challenges for information and communications technologies. J Postgrad Med. 2005;51(4):301.
Chun YJ, Patterson PE. A suggestion for future research on interface design of an internet-based telemedicine system for the elderly. Work. 2012;41:353–6.
doi: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0181-353
Tummons J, Fournier C, Kits O, MacLeod A. Teaching without a blackboard and chalk: conflicting attitudes towards using ICTs in higher education teaching and learning. High Educ Res Dev. 2016;35(4):829–40.
doi: 10.1080/07294360.2015.1137882
Zhao C-M, Kuh GD. Adding value: Learning communities and Student Engagement. Res High Educt. 2004;45(2):115–38.
doi: 10.1023/B:RIHE.0000015692.88534.de
Peterson M, Nielsen S, Olson D. Recruitment and retention of rural allied health professionals: a scoping review. Rural Remote Health. 2024;24(2):1–14.