Purpose: This study aimed to develop and demonstrate the usefulness of self-study textbooks on acid-base equilibrium using the instructional design (ID) method. Methods: The subjects were nine physical therapists. Pre-, post-, and one-month posttests and self-study textbooks were conducted according to the ADDIE model. The measures were years of experience, test scores and administration time, administration time of the teaching text, and the number of times the knowledge was used in clinical practice before the one-month posttest. For statistical analysis, multiple comparisons of test scores were performed using the Bonferroni method. Each measure was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. Results: Posttest scores were significantly higher than pretest scores (96 vs 40, p=0.027). One-month posttest scores were significantly higher than pretest scores (87 vs 40, p=0.012). One-month posttest scores were significantly lower with more frequent clinical use (r=--0.77. p=0.015). Conclusion: The self-study textbook for acid-base equilibrium using the ID method is effective. In the future, it will be necessary to formulate opportunities for clinical application after using the educational materials.

Objective: This study examined the relationship between learning goal orientation (LGO) and learning behavior and factors that influence LGO in physical therapy students. Method: The subjects were 36 university fourth-year students. Based on median values, LGO and learning behavior were compared in two groups. We examined the relationship between LGO and vocational identity and life skills. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors relating to LGO using items that were significantly correlated. Results: Students with higher LGO had a higher percentage of longer learning behaviors than students with lower LGO. A weak positive correlation was observed between LGO and vocational identity and life skills. Logistic regression analysis selected “pride in needing a physical therapist” in vocational identity and “planning” in life skills. Conclusion: LGO is associated with learning behavior, implying that it needs educational support to improve LGO. Furthermore, fostering vocational identity and life skills may improve the LGO of physical therapy students.

Purpose: This survey was conducted to clarify the causes of difficulty in gait analysis by physical therapists (PTs), particularly by addressing the observation process. Methods: Questionnaire respondents were 3,840 PTs employed at 192 randomly selected facilities. The overall process of gait analysis consists of four parts: Observation, Hypothesis formation, Functional testing, and Verification. The questionnaire contents consisted of 1 question about the difficulty of the overall gait analysis process and 12 questions specifically about the difficulty of the observation process. Logistic regression analysis was used for statistical analyses. The target variable was the general difficulty of the overall gait analysis process reported by two groups: one with difficulty and one without difficulty. The explanatory variables were responses about difficulties of the observation process. Results: More than 70% of the PTs had difficulty with questions about the overall gait analysis process. As a result of logistic regression analysis, observation accuracy was extracted as a factor related to the difficulty of the overall gait analysis process. Conclusion: Results suggest that the difficulty of PT gait analysis is related to the factor of observation accuracy.

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.

Purpose: This research aimed to determine the relationship students’ commitment to pre-class assignments and time preference to avoid procreation on assignments in a physical therapist training program in Japan. Method: A Google Forms questionnaire was administered to fourteen physical therapist students. It consisted of questions regarding the multiple price list method, date of and reason for viewing the pre-assignment, and time preference. The relationship between the viewing date and time preference was analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Result: Students’ preference regarding the viewing date of the pre-assignment were similar. No substantial correlation was found between the viewing date of prior assignments and the time preference. Discussion: Findings suggest that students’ efforts to memorize the class content may be seen as motivation to complete the pre-assignment closer to the class date. However, a system that encourages multiple previews on the day before the class is required to deepen students’ understanding of the class content.

In this study, we practiced a clinic-participatory training in perioperative cardiovascular surgery physical therapy. In order for trainees to participate as members of a team, we believe it is necessary to share goals and information, assess trainees’ abilities, and clarify their roles. The trainees need to have a clear understanding of their roles as team members and be prepared to carry them out. In this training, the trainees were assigned the role of “blood pressure,” which is an important evaluation item in cardiovascular cases and is frequently performed by the trainees. The Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) scale was used as a criterion to determine whether the role could be delegated or not. The trainees participated in 30 perioperative physical therapy sessions in three cardiovascular surgery cases. The EPA rating for the “blood pressure” role was “5: Practice supervisor did not need to be present” for both trainees. Through this training, we felt that by clearly defining the role of the “blood pressure” supervisor, what the trainees were to do became more concrete, and the supervisor was able to evaluate the trainees in a way that was observable and directly related to their clinical work. It was also suggested that by utilizing the EPA, it was possible to objectively evaluate whether or not the trainees could be entrusted with roles that had previously depended on the subjective judgment of the training supervisor.