has published a framework to support and advance the development of education for physiotherapists around the world. Dr John Xerri de Caro from the Physiotherapy Department UM formed part of a multi-national project that led to the creation of the framework, playing a major contribution and having served also as the Chair of the World Physiotherapy Education Review Working Group between 2018 and 2019 that served to identify the need for it. He is also currently a member of the as well as Chair of the of World Physiotherapy.
The framework positions components of physiotherapist education along the lifelong learning continuum, and provides guidance for physiotherapist entry level education and continuing professional development (CPD). It also provides a description of the domains of physiotherapist practice competence that must be achieved in an entry level education programme and maintained throughout active practice. The framework sets out the continuum of learning in physiotherapist education: starting with the entry level physiotherapist education programme that permits entry to the profession for those who meet entry to practice threshold competences, followed by developing and maintaining continued competence to practice.
Based on World Physiotherapy’s policy statement on education, the framework provides:
guidance on the expected competences for physiotherapist entry level education guidance for delivery and quality assurance of physiotherapist entry level education benchmark against which entry level programmes may be assessed for comparison, either externally or by self-audit guidance for delivery and expectations of continuing professional development
The framework can be used to:
assist physiotherapist entry level education providers in curriculum development that aims to meet international expectations guide stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of physiotherapist entry level education programmes empower member organisations, and potential member organisations, to develop a country specific description of physiotherapy and to advance the education of physiotherapists at a national level encourage monitoring and regulatory bodies to look for best practice in the quality assurance of education provision, from entry level education programmes through to CPD inform the development, implementation, and evaluation of continuing professional education that ensures the maintenance of acquired professional competence introduce competence-based physiotherapist education and inform curriculum content review an existing physiotherapist entry level education programme in relation to their graduates’ competences support post-entry level education providers in the design and delivery of quality CPD
The framework is available for download .
