A proposed anatomy syllabus for entry-level Band-5 NHS physiotherapists in the United Kingdom: A modified Delphi methodology by physiotherapists

Gangata, Hope; Porter, Stuart; Major, Kim; Artz, Neil

Abstract

There is currently no anatomy syllabus for physiotherapy students worldwide. National regulatory frameworks for training health professionals and running national health systems make an imprint on the scope of work of entry-level physiotherapists, and have to be factored in compiling an anatomy syllabus for physiotherapy students. A two-phased Delphi methodology was employed to generate an anatomy syllabus for entry-level Band-5 NHS physiotherapists using two panels of anatomy teachers who were United Kingdom (UK) registered physiotherapists: a more experienced Expert-Panel and a Teacher-Panel. The Expert Panel/Research-Administrative-Team (four authors) created and proposed 211 Anatomy Learning Objectives (Anat-LOs) for the Teacher-Panel, and reviewed the Teacher-Panel responses from the 1st and 2nd Delphi Rounds. The Teacher-Panel of nine participants scored the Anat-LOs proposed by the Expert-Panel using Accept/Modify/Decline/Unclear categories and gave comments during 1st (seven participants) and 2nd Delphi Rounds (seven participants). The Teacher-Panel approved 180 Anat-LOs (with an 85% acceptance rate or higher) that formed the proposed anatomy syllabus. The syllabus covered the ‘Introductory Concepts, Anatomy Principles and Basic Histology’, ‘Head-&-Neck-Region’, ‘Thoracic-Region’, ‘Abdomen-Pelvic-Perineum-Region’, ‘Upper Limb-Region’, ‘Lower-Limb-Region’, ‘Spine-Region’ and ‘Neuroanatomical-Region’. Most of the banked Anat-LOs were associated with the musculoskeletal movement at the expense of the gastrointestinal and urinary systems. The Anat-LOs went beyond anatomical knowledge, and included anatomical skills (such as palpation), basic radiological interpretations and basic physiotherapy techniques, such as basic assessment of posture. The methodology driven by physiotherapists has created an anatomy syllabus with Anat-LOs that contains physiotherapy techniques to promote the integration of pure anatomy with applied physiotherapy skills. Each Anat-LO had an accompanying clinical rationale/context to help reduce disagreements among the raters and better shows the importance and clinical application of each Anat-LOs to the wider anatomical and physiotherapy communities. The anatomy syllabus has been created by physiotherapists who better understand the UK BSc Physiotherapy educational standards, the UK NHS undergraduate student clinical placement system and the basic clinical specialty rotations done by band-5 physiotherapists within the UK and make it more likely to be adopted within the UK. The methodology has implications for other clinical professions and other countries with differing educational and health systems. Ethics approval was granted.

Citation

Gangata, H., Porter, S., Major, K., & Artz, N. (2021). A proposed anatomy syllabus for entry-level Band-5 NHS physiotherapists in the United Kingdom: A modified Delphi methodology by physiotherapists. . https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13460

• Conference Name: Anatomical Society Virtual Winter Meeting
• Conference Location: Newcastle
• Start Date: Jan 6, 2021
• End Date: Jan 8, 2021
• Acceptance Date: Jun 22, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 22, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2023
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 239
• Pages: 932-971
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13460
• Keywords: Cell Biology; Developmental Biology; Molecular Biology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Histology; Anatomy