Entry-level physical therapist curricula in geriatric care: an Italian national survey study.
Francesco Bucchi, Sara Dal Ben, Antonio Culcasi and 3 others
PMID 40303947WHAT IT FOUND
Italian PT curricula cover fall prevention well but lack depth in dementia, chronic conditions, and communication with sensory deficits.
Directors value geriatric training, yet teaching hours and internship requirements vary widely, leaving gaps in preparing students for complex older adults.
Key findings
01Fall prevention and assessment tools were the only prevention topics with no 'absolutely no' responses and the highest rates of 'absolutely yes' (58% and 52%).
02Seven care and rehabilitation topics elicited negative responses, specifically rheumatoid arthritis, chronic constipation, delirium, diabetes, depression, pain, and chronic kidney disease.
03Communication with older people with sensory deficits registered 35% of 'rather no than yes' responses, indicating a gap in this specific skill area.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The survey instrument was not validated, relying on expert review and pre-testing. The 54.8% response rate means nearly half of the invited directors did not respond, and non-responders may have had different curriculum structures. Data were anonymous, so it was impossible to analyze why directors did not respond. The study describes curricula based on director self-report, not direct observation of teaching or student competency. Small group sizes prevented statistical comparison between university types or regions.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest. No specific funding was received.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the high percentage of directors reporting adequate training reflects actual student competency. The study measured curriculum content and director perception, not patient outcomes or student skill levels, and the survey tool itself was unvalidated.