Entry requirements

For admission to the course, 112.5 passed credits are required. All oral, written and practical examinations in physiotherapy from earlier semesters must be passed. If the examination consists of a report, this should be submitted before end of the actual semester and must be approved at the latest the following semester.

Learning outcomes

The course intends to provide knowledge and skills for an independent and professional exercise as a physiotherapist as regards pain, neuromusculoskeletal and locomotion-related physical disabilities, stress-related disorders as well as long term and chronic diseases.

After completed theoretical course and clinical placement, the student according to evidence and proven experience and based on fictitious and real patient cases should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

1. account for aetiology and prognostic factors regarding pain and physical disabilities in acute and long term conditions, musculoskeletal functional disorders including inflammatory joint diseases and stress-related symptoms.

2. describe how pain, physical disabilities and long term diseases relate to the individual's functional level.

3. describe how environmental factors relate to the individual's functional level.

4. account for what is essential to observe when assessing individuals with pain and physical disabilities in the first caring instance.

5. account for choice of examination and treatment methods based on evidence and proven experience.

6. account for basic behavioural medicine treatment principles in physiotherapeutic measures.

Skills and abilities

7. apply physiotherapeutic methods for examination and treatment based on own analysis.

8. apply behavioural medicine knowledge in physiotherapeutic measures in order to prevent and treat various types of activity limitations and physical disabilities.

9. based on musculoskeletal knowledge apply physiotherapeutic methods to prevent and treat various types of reduction in activities and physical disabilities.

10. apply methods for physical training as treatment.

11. apply skills what regards the patient's safety and comfort and apply skills for a good posture when working with a patient.

12. show a good ability to independently communicate and interact with patients, relatives and health-care personnel.

13. document in medical record in accordance with the Medical Records Act.

Judgement and approach

14. evaluate clinical conduct in relation to evidence and empiricism.

Content

The course includes 18 HE credits, of which 9 HE credits theory and placement and contains:

Aetiology and diagnostics of musculoskeletal functional disorders.

Examination, assessment, prevention and treatment. Evaluation of acute, subacute as well as long term and/or chronic musculoskeletal functional disorders.

Methods to examine, assess, prevent, treat and evaluate stress-related disorders.

Biopsychosocial risk factors for long term and/or chronic disability to participate in activities.

Methods to examine, assess, treat and evaluate complicated conditions such as neurological and respiratory functional disorders in chronic diseases.

Application of behavioural medicine, psychological, educational, medical and ergonomical models, theories and methods in analysis and treatment of both the individual patient and patients in group.

Instruction

The teaching is given as lectures, seminars, practical teaching and training as well as practical exercises based on fictitious and real patient cases.

Individual supervision during clinical placement when planning, implementing, following up and assessing tasks in clinic

Assessment

To pass the course, passed written examination 6 credits as well as passed practical examination based on fictitious patient case 3 credits are required.

Passed clinical placement 9 HE credits.

Passed achievements are assessed according to assessment criteria in "Instruments for development and assessment in clinical placement".

To pass the course, compulsory attendance and active participation are also required in two patient case seminars where the behavioural medicine working model in physiotherapy is applied.

In the written examination, aim 1-5 and 14 is examined.

At the practical examination, aim 1-2, 5, 7, 9-11 as well as 14 is examined.

In clinical placement, aim 7-14 is examined.

At the compulsory seminars, aim 3 and 6 is examined.

Qualified to start clinical placement are those who have shown sufficient knowledge in the current theoretical physiotherapy course to be able to profit by the clinical training.

If failing the clinical placement due to insufficient knowledge and skills and/or absence 25% or more during the internship the student has to redo the clinical placement one more time for a full time period.

If the student fails to accomplish the clinical placement with a pass the student has to get a pass in all theoretical parts of the course before starting a renewed clinical placement period.

Prematurely interrupted clinical placement:

A student may be failed and has to interrupt the clinical placement prematurely if there is a noticeable risk that the student due to incompetence may injure another individual or valuable property if he or she continues the clinical placement. An individual plan shall be decided for the student, and to be informed in writing. This plan, decided by the programme committee, must state the knowledge and skill shortages at hand, the support the student may receive from the department and also state how and when the assessment will take place. A student is entitled to a maximum of two assessment occasions, however no more than once a year. The student may not participate in the clinical placement again, until the programme committee has checked and accepted the required knowledge and skills of the student. Decisions on the individual study plan may be delegated by the programme committee to a student welfare committee or equivalent with student representation.

Students who have not accomplished the clinical placement with a pass have a right to undergo renewed placement once. If special circumstances apply, the programme committee can admit an additional occasion for clinical placement.

Students who have not passed the examination have a right to make 4 additional examination attempts (i.e. 5 examination attempts in total). If special circumstances apply, the programme committee can admit additional examination. Every time the student participates in an examination is counted. Submission of so-called blank exam is counted as an examination.

The student has the right to request a change of examiner after two failed examinations.