Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a new educational approach wherein
students practice the physical therapy (PT) process with individuals with illnesses and assess its impact on
understanding the PT process. Methods: The subjects included 27 healthy students in the second year of
a three-year physical therapist training program. Two individuals with illnesses were invited to the university
as collaborators. The students were divided into six groups, with a teacher assigned to each group. Under
the teachers’ guidance, each group practiced the PT process on the collaborators, including information
collection, PT evaluation, integration and interpretation, problem identification, goal setting, and treatment
program planning. To assess learning effectiveness, the students were evaluated on their understanding of the
PT process, social skills, and proficiency in PT evaluation techniques at the beginning and end of the class.
A paired t-test was used to compare the two time points. Results: The students’ understanding of the PT
process, social skills, and proficiency in PT evaluation techniques all improved significantly at the end of the
class. Conclusion: Practical teaching is effective for learning the PT process.
