Objective: This study aimed to review the training system of the rehabilitation department based on needs and evaluate the effects of its modification. Methods: The study was conducted in two steps: (1) a survey of needs related to the training system; and (2) verification of the implementation of improvement measures based on the needs and effectiveness. In step (1), a questionnaire survey of all staff members of the corporation’s rehabilitation department was conducted. In step (2), improvement measures for the training system for fiscal year 2022 were planned and implemented for approximately a year. Results: (1) The response rate of the survey in fiscal year 2021 was 93.2% (68 respondents). It became evident that the content was perceived as not helpful, particularly for new-employee training (33%), the timing of implementation was not appropriate (32%), and so on. The present survey was thus conducted centered on the “modification of the implementation method for new-employee training.” (2) The response rate of the survey in fiscal year 2022 was 80.3% (61 respondents). Fisher’s exact test and χ² test were used to compare the distribution of responses related to the training system between the two years. The results showed that 100% of the respondents answered “Yes” to the items “The new-employee training was held at an appropriate timing” and “The contents of new-employee training are useful in real rehabilitation settings,” demonstrating significant improvements. Conclusion: After the training system was improved based on the needs, significantly higher percentages of the staff indicated that the new-employee training was held at an appropriate time and had useful contents.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the willingness to learn and the learning experience of orthosis in the field trip to an orthopedic surgery facility, to find points to keep in mind in the on-campus education and clinical education regarding orthosis, and to understand areas for improvement. Subjects and Methods: The target population consisted of 39 first-year physical therapy students at a vocational school, 21 of whom had completed a field trip to an orthopedic surgery facility. A questionnaire and open-ended responses were used for the survey. Wilcoxon’s signed rank test was used for the questionnaire responses, and KH Coder, a software for quantitative text analysis, was used for the open-ended responses. The responses of physical therapy students before and after the field trip were compared. Results: The most common areas of discrepancy between willingness to learn and learning experience were the ability to determine if an orthosis device was necessary, knowledge of orthosis device adaptations and type selection, and orthosis device use and hygiene. Conclusion: A discrepancy between learning motivation and learning experience was confirmed in the field trip training. It is possible that there is a high need for efforts to increase the willingness to learn in on-campus education and the learning experience in practical training education.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a professional identity scale for physical therapists (PT) and verify its reliability and validity. Methods: In the preliminary survey, scale items designed based on previous studies, were examined using an interview survey. In the present study, a large-scale survey was conducted using a questionnaire, and the reliability and validity of the scale were re-examined. Results: A five-factor, 37-item scale was completed for “development and contribution to junior staff, training and development of professional groups,” “PT professional view,” “PT practical skills,” “PT sense of adjustment,” and “desire to contribute to multi-professional collaboration.” Cronbach’s α coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.85 to 0.94, confirming their reliability. Criterion-related validity was confirmed by correlations with the Japanese version of the occupational commitment Scale and the Japanese version of the Burnout Scale. Conclusion: A scale reflecting PT occupational characteristics was developed and its reliability and validity were verified. This scale can be used as a guide to foster the professional identity of PT.

Purpose: This study aimed to verify the educational effectiveness of the disaster physical therapy course conducted in the fiscal year 2022. Methods: The study included 122 third-year students of the 4-year physical therapy schools in Kumamoto and Osaka Prefectures. Group exercises incorporating active learning and rubric assessment were performed to evaluate the understanding of disaster response. A basic terminology test was performed to assess the proficiency of individual knowledge regarding disasters in disaster rehabilitation and case-response problems in evacuation centers. Results: In both schools, learning assessment significantly improved through rubrics and proficiency tests after the course (p<0.01). Discrepancies that were observed before the course in case-response problems based on the students’ experience with disasters were not reported after the course (p<0.01). Conclusion: The significant improvement in learning assessment through rubrics and individual knowledge proficiency test results after the course suggests a deeper learning effect through the integration of lectures and group exercises.

This study assessed college students’ learning changes and study behavior following focus on self- focus on self-review in the reciprocal teaching and in-class peer teaching during lectures. Lecture formats were altered between the 6th and 14th sessions within a series of 15. Unannounced learning assessments occurred during the 5th and 14th lectures, accompanied by a survey to gauge students’ perceptions of the changes and their study behavior. Additionally, we examined students’ grade point average (GPA). Results indicated that test scores and duration of study generally increased. However, students with lower GPA tended to study more without showing learning improvements, while those with higher GPA enhanced their learning without increasing study time. These outcomes suggest that peer teaching in class can enhance learning, yet the impact varies according to GPA. Therefore, it can be concluded from this study that differentiated instruction may be necessary to cater to varying GPA levels.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to elucidate the current status and challenges pertaining to clinical internships in the field of physical therapy education utilizing a cloud-based system, as gleaned from a survey of supervisors. Method: A survey was conducted using an internet questionnaire system targeting clinical training instructors who used Company B’s clinical training support system in clinical training at University A. Conclusion: The survey Regarding clinical training using a cloud-based system, the current situation and issues emerged regarding communication during training guidance, reducing the burden on training instructors, and establishing a communication system with training schools. In tandem with the digitalization efforts, there is a need to devise a system that allows for authentic hands-on experiences with patients and supervisors–an aspect that can only be experienced in clinical settings.

This study aimed to determine the impact of students’ participation in a university-based online health promotion activity for community-dwelling older adults on their fundamental skills as working adults. Participants included 25 first-year university students (16 males, 9 females, 18±1 years old) attending a university specializing in training physical and occupational therapists. Fourteen of the students participated in the online health promotion activities, while 11 comprised the control group, which did not participate in the activities. The Progress Report on Generic Skills test assessed basic skills for working adults. The study results showed that the activity participation group had significantly lower comprehensive literacy scores than the control group at the end of the activity. In pre-and post-activity comparisons, both literacy and competency tended to decrease in the Activity Participation group after completing the activity compared to before its commencement. The results suggest that students’ awareness of their generic skills decreased after a short period due to changes in their environment and relationships. Encouraging participants to reflect on this experience through formative evaluation is essential, fostering behavioral change through self-reflection.

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of an educational program that focused on supporting clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on physical therapists’ (PTs) attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP). Method: Two PTs from a university hospital were enrolled in this educational intervention, emphasizing the first four steps of the five-step EBP process: “Ask,” “Acquire,” “Appraise,” and “Apply.” We assessed their attitudes towards EBP using the Japanese version of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) at three-time intervals: before, immediately after, and two years after the program. Results: After the intervention, one PT demonstrated increased total EBPAS scores, indicating a more positive attitude towards EBP, whereas the other showed a decline in total scores. Despite these divergent trends, both PTs exhibited increased openness to new practices immediately after the intervention, which was maintained two years later. Conclusion: Educational programs that emphasize the integration of clinical practice guidelines into clinical settings can significantly influence PTs’ openness to new practices. Future research should examine the comprehensive impact of such programs on different attitudes toward EBP.