Dr Paula Harding MACP, allied health director at Barwon Health in Geelong, had observed the increasing demands placed on
physiotherapists to provide clinical education in the workplace, both for students and for physiotherapists in the early stages of their careers.

‘I saw a need to support the many qualified physiotherapists who are asked to provide clinical education to students and other physiotherapists they are supervising without ever receiving any formal training on the theoretical principles that underpin education, particularly adult learning principles,’ says Paula.

‘Most physiotherapists would only ever have received education in university facilities in the traditional format, not in the workplace setting.

'Often they won’t be familiar with the principles of competency-based training and assessment programs that underpin the delivery of education in the workplace.’

In 2023, Paula received a $30,000 grant from the Pat Cosh Trust for her research project, titled ‘Development of a career pathway for physiotherapy clinical educators’.

The two main aims of the research are to identify the capabilities required of physiotherapists who deliver clinical education in the workplace to physiotherapy students, qualified physiotherapists and other health professionals; and to map these capabilities along the continuum from novice educator to expert educator, which will provide physiotherapists interested in pursuing a career in education with a framework to guide their development.

Paula Harding

The study will employ qualitative and quantitative methods to capture the opinions of stakeholders in two ways: through an anonymous online survey and via focus groups where physiotherapists can provide their perspectives on the capabilities and competencies required of clinical educators at each stage of the continuum.

‘Supporting physiotherapists to be better educators will ensure that our physiotherapy students and junior workforce can develop to their full potential and continue to grow and learn throughout all stages of their career,’ says Paula.

‘Physiotherapists who are committed to lifelong learning deliver high-quality, evidence-based care that improves the lives and health of our patients and community.’

The research project is likely to take around 18 months to complete and its path will be guided by the results obtained during the earlier stages.

‘It is hoped that the creation of a capabilities framework for clinical educators will give physiotherapists involved in delivering education in the clinical setting a clear understanding of the capabilities they need to develop to become an effective educator,’ says Paula.

‘This will facilitate access to targeted learning activities so that people can obtain the capabilities required as they progress through the career stages from novice to expert educator.

'It will also assist recruitment for and the development of dedicated physiotherapy clinical educator positions, supporting a consistent, standardised approach.’

Receiving a 2023 Pat Cosh Trust Annual Grant means there is support for a small team to focus on the project.

‘The grant will enable some protected, dedicated time to complete the study, which includes reviewing existing resources, identifying the specific needs of the physiotherapy profession and developing a framework that meets the needs of physiotherapists providing clinical education in Victoria,’ says Paula.

‘It’s a great privilege to be a recipient of a Pat Cosh Trust grant,’ says Paula.

‘Now more than ever, with the complexity of healthcare rising rapidly while healthcare resources are diminishing, we need to dedicate some time and make a commitment to improving the quality of the clinical education available to our physiotherapy students and workforce.’