PHTR 709 - Research Externship I

Credit(s): 2
2 semester hours
Physical Therapy Externship I provides students with individual mentorship and group supervision by a Mercy Mentor. The course is designed to facilitate successful participation as an investigator in a physical therapy research project. Students work either individually or in small groups (up to four students) on their specific research project and meet periodically over the course of the academic year with their Mercy Mentor to review their work and plan future objectives. Discussions revolving around the research process are designed to provide students with guidance and support. The program’s emphasis on critical thinking and active problem solving in clinical practice is further reinforced through the research component of the curriculum. During the research externship, faculty and experienced clinicians serving as on-site research mentors who provide ongoing supervision. There is an emphasis on using clinical reasoning concepts throughout the research process and to function effectively as a collaborative member of a research team. Students are expected to complete their research plan and data collection as part of Physical Therapy Externship I (PHTR 709).

Clinical research begins with the identification of a topic of interest, from which one or more questions are raised. Questions are based upon a thorough understanding of the topic in question. Questions can be formulated from studies in the literature that offer conflicting results, studies that leave a gap in the clinical knowledge or studies that open the door to future research by posing more questions based on what has already been done. Once the student is familiar with the topic and has formulated sound research questions the next step is to pose research hypotheses, based upon a theoretical framework, about the particular research questions. Methods are then developed to test these hypotheses and the study is carried out.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program places great emphasis on critical thinking and active problem solving in clinical practice. A thorough understanding of - (and the ability to apply) clinical research literature is tremendously important to this process. The more students are exposed to research, the greater their understanding will be when they become a practicing clinician.