Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Document Type
Thesis - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)
Copyright Statement
All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.
Department
College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department
Publication Date / Copyright Date
1998
Publisher
Nova Southeastern University
NSUWorks Citation
Lori Burdick. 1998. Difference in Knowledge Between Nova Southeastern University Osteopathic Medical and Physical Therapy Students Regarding Their Own and Each Other's Professions. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department. (96)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_pt_stuetd/96.
Abstract
Purpose: To determine whether PT students and DO students accurately identified their respective professional assessments and interventions in order to make appropriate referrals following graduation.
Subjects: 300 first and second year osteopathic medical students and 300 first and second year physical therapy students at Nova Southeastern University were surveyed. Final sample size consisted of 151 DO and 183 PT students.
Methodology: A self-designed survey was used to determine PT and DO students' knowledge of their own and each other's assessments and interventions. Data was analyzed using frequency distributions and independent t-tests with an alpha level of .05.
Results: DO students knew more about DO assessments and interventions than PT students knew about PT assessments and interventions. PT students knew more about DO assessments and interventions than DO students knew about PT assessments and interventions.
Conclusion: The DO and PT students at Nova Southeastern University need to be educated on the skills and services they each provide in order to make appropriate referrals following graduation. Both programs should consider making curricular changes. Interdisciplinary activities such as team evaluations and the exchange of role information would foster the team approach and increase respect for other health care personnel.
Disciplines
Physical Therapy