Bringing Masters' level skills to the clinical setting: What is the experience like for graduates of the Master of Science in manual therapy programme?

Abstract

Introduction

The nursing profession has been influential in conducting research to investigate the effect of continuing education programs on clinical practice. This research has indicated positive gains in competencies and behaviors, such as, becoming more research positive and dynamic as practitioners. There is, however, a dearth of studies investigating the clinical impact of Masters degrees in the physiotherapy profession. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore physiotherapists' experiences of change and/or development in their clinical practice after successfully completing a Masters in manual therapy degree. Study design and methodology: An exploratory qualitative, specifically phenomenological, approach was used. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with seven Masters degree graduates, audio-taped, and transcribed. A foundational thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Findings: Four main themes were identified: (1) precision thinking – an ability to integrate new skills and knowledge, so that care was patient-centered and based on available research evidence. (2) Clinical outputs – development of “ingenuity” in delivering efficient clinical practice. (3) Professional outputs – assuming an enhanced professional role (role model, education resource, and lifelong learner) in the workplace and acknowledging personal development. (4) Expectations – reviewing the relevance of pre-course expectations. Conclusions: This study provided evidence for the applicability to practice of the knowledge and skills gained in Masters education and suggested that the participants experienced substantial positive change across a broad spectrum of professional and personal issues.