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Achieving Competence: Clinical Instructors' Perspective, Kimberly W. Coleman-Ferreira

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Purpose: The profession of physical therapy uses physical therapist clinical instructors to educate students in the clinical education portion of the curriculum. The requirements to become a clinical instructor are minimal and non- specific regarding formal training and development. A variety of educational opportunities is available to clinical instructors, but the evidence in the physical therapy literature is conflicting regarding the effectiveness of these programs. Additionally, no previous research regarding the meaning of competence, nor the pathway to achieving competence as a clinical instructor was found. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the experience of achieving competence …