The impact of tour training on physical therapy students’ knowledge and competence in orthotics

Abstract

Purpose: To longitudinally determine the impact of tour training on physical therapy students’ orthotic knowledge and orthotic competence. To assist in the education of orthotics in the early tour training after admission to the school. Subjects and Methods: The subjects were 29 first-year physical therapy students at a three-year vocational school. The survey used a questionnaire that asked 20 questions about orthotic knowledge and orthotic competence required of physical therapists. Questionnaires were administered twice in total, before and after the tour training. Statistical analysis was conducted using Wilcoxon’s signed rank test on the responses to the 20 items to compare the responses of the physical therapy students before and after the tour training. Results: The items that showed significant differences in the physical therapy students’ responses before and after the tour training were “Knowledge of orthotic component types and indications” and “Knowledge of diseases and conditions related to the use of orthotics.” Conclusion: The impact of the field tour training on physical therapy students’ orthotic knowledge and orthotic competence was confirmed. For factors that do not have an impact, it may be important to analyze them and address them in on-campus education.