CHCS Perspectives Summer/Fall 2013

PERSPECTIVES • SUMMER-FALL 2013 – Page 41 Dr. Kolber and PT Student Receive Recognition On January 22, Morey J. Kolber, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, and his colleague Paul A. Salamh, an NSU student pursuing his Ph.D. in the Department of Physical Therapy, received the Achievement of Distinction- IJSPT Outstanding Research Manuscript Award. They were honored at the American Physical Ther- apy Associations Combined Sections, Sports Section Meeting in San Diego, California, for their study en- titled “The Reliability, Minimal Detectable Change and Construct Validity of a Clinical Measurement for Quantifying Posterior Shoulder Tightness in the Postoperative Population.” The measurement used for the study was previ- ously developed by Dr. Kolber as a part of his NSU doctoral dissertation; however, it had not been vali- dated in a postoperative population. Data was col- lected at Southeastern Orthopedics Physical Ther- apy in Raleigh, North Carolina, where Dr. Salamh serves as director of rehabilitation. According to both authors, posterior shoulder tightness has been implicated in the etiology of nu- merous shoulder disorders, which makes it an im- portant task to develop clinical measurement techniques that are able to quantify this impair- ment. The authors are currently in the process of investigating the most efficacious method for im- proving postoperative posterior shoulder tightness in a randomized control trial. Dr. Kolber has also been recognized by the CHCS for his outstanding research contributions to the physical therapy profession. muneration or internal benefits. It is not generally a job requirement as set forth in a standard job description and may require effort be- yond the regular work day, especially for effective student assessment. The NSU Physical Therapy Program, in order to better prepare students for full-time experiences, developed a self-contained col- laborative model that places faculty members in local facilities with groups of students on a part-time basis. Our belief is that early in- troduction of students to the clinical setting allows for an easier transition into the full-time clinical experience. These early experi- ences include direct patient care activities that reinforce didactic knowledge with hands on experience early in the curriculum. In addition to the NSU rehabilitation clinic in which students participate regularly, outreach contractual partnerships have been developed locally in which academic faculty members supervise stu- dents in community facilities, in groups that vary between 4 and 10 students. This translates into pro-bono services to underserved in- dividuals and provision of additional services to residents in long- term care facilities and long-term care children’s homes. These partnerships have been well received by our community partners and result in additional placement for students during the full-time clinical internships during the senior year. The self-contained collaborative curricular component was the first step in our community partner outreach, but it was not enough. Faced with full classes and the need to secure 40-plus weeks of full- time clinical education experiences for each student during the last year of the program, the clinical education team endeavored to work within available university resources to provide benefits to the CCCEs and CIs that supervise students for full-time internship experiences. Offerings had to be budget-friendly, attractive to the CCCEs and CIs, and faculty/staff manageable. A multifaceted program that includes continuing education and networking opportunities, as well as other privileges, was developed to include the following: • opportunities for CIs to earn course vouchers for the Transition Doctor of Physical Therapy program toward matriculation as continuing education or manual therapy certification • continuing education at minimal to no cost that crosses all practice venues and complies with state continuing education requirements • continuing education vouchers for serving as CIs in the state of Florida • certificates of appreciation • faculty availability to provide in-services to the staff on a variety of subjects at no cost to the facility • electronic library privileges and onsite library privileges • NSU SharkCards that offer local discounts at a variety of places • annual event for CCCEs, CIs, and PT alumni that includes a day of no-cost continuing education, a reception, and the opportunity to network • annual reception at the APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting for socializing and networking • faculty members serving as a resource for practice or relevant community issues via phone or email • venue panel participation during the final wrap-up week for seniors in which CCCEs, CIs, and alumni can come together and share experiences and advice with future colleagues • opportunities to participate as testers for student practical exams The clinical education team seeks to keep up with the demands of clinical education by making an ongoing effort to provide thanks and incentives to clinicians to take students. With the health care changes expected in the next few years, we are preparing to face the challenges assertively and in cooperation with the community. We are encouraged by participation in the programs we have of- fered to date and look forward to potential expansion in the coming months and years.