March 12, 2021

Research & Evidence-Based Practice I

This course presents the role of research in development and critical analysis of physical therapy practice through introducing the American Physical Therapy Association vision on training the next generation of Physical Therapy profession in the Scientist-Practitioner model. In this course, the philosophy behind the scientific and clinical research including causation, and the pillars of Evidence-Based Practice, their importance for future practitioners and their application as it relates to Physical Therapy practice are emphasized. This course also introduces overall organization and elements of a clinical research project, principles of hypothesis writing, and basic statistical and epidemiological concepts. It also provides an opportunity to practice data entry and running descriptive statistics in SPSS. Components of the class are directed self-reading of documented research, understanding good research design, research variables, basics of descriptive analysis, and computing them on SPSS. Students will be directed to work with a faculty member to develop their research topic and write “Chapter 1-Intorduction” of their research project.