Abstract
Scenario: Physical Therapy Clinical Education represents a significant component of curricula and requires cooperation between academic institutions and clinical education sites (CES). Curriculum structure variation, clinical instructor availability, and student internship demands impact the academic institutions and CES partnership. For stakeholders, communication of expectations and the individuality of the student placement workflow can strain partnerships. Longevity of the clinical-academic partnership depends on effective evaluation incorporating perspectives of both parties. Question: Are there bi- directional assessment tools or protocols available to help academic institutions and CES to evaluate each other in the areas of administrative and collaborative performance? Methods: A systematic search of Ovid Medline, Embase, and CINAHL, supplemented by a hand search of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy, was conducted. Inclusion criteria focused on English-language studies published after 1993 that included both academic institutions and CES, addressing administrative performance, outcomes assessment, workflow design, or goal alignment. Results: Of 329 studies screened, six met inclusion criteria. These examined curricular design, clinical educator profiling, and value-based partnerships, but none described or validated bi-directional assessment tools used by academic institutions and CES. Bottom Line: No standardized or validated assessment tools exist to evaluate clinical-academic partnerships within physical therapy education.
Recommended Citation
Friedman, Jocelin; Bennett, Hannah; Atkinson, Rachel; and Hidalgo, Leona
(2026)
"Evaluating Clinical-Academic Partnerships in Physical Therapy Education: A Critically Appraised Topic on Available Assessment Tools,"
Pacific Journal of Health: Vol. 9:
Iss.
1, Article 12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56031/2576-215X.1124
Available at:
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/pjh/vol9/iss1/12
Figure 1 Systematic review diagram adapted from PRISMA flow diagram
Table 1 Results of Individual Studies.docx (22 kB)
Table 1. Results of Individual Studies
Table 2 Results of Critical Appraisal for Qualitative Research.docx (21 kB)
Table 2. Results of Critical Appraisal for Qualitative Research
Table 3 Results of Critical Appraisal for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies.docx (20 kB)
Table 3. Results of Critical Appraisal for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies
Table 4 Critical Appraisal Results for Textual Evidence Expert Opinion.docx (20 kB)
Table 4. Critical Appraisal Results for Textual Evidence Expert Opinion
Table 5 Critical Appraisal Results for Case Reports.docx (20 kB)
Table 5 Critical Appraisal Results for Case Reports
Appendix.docx (24 kB)
Appendix
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Higher Education Commons, Physical Therapy Commons
