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Dear Yong: Thank you for writing this insightful post and placing much of the discussion in a valuable context. Your last statement about the "confines of a 3 or 4-year baccalaureate course" raises a different issue. Namely, the type of degree awarded a physical therapist. The USA has moved to a graduate degree for entry into the profession. Several months ago 25% of the PT programs in the USA were awarding or in the process of transitioning to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree as entry to the profession. Since then I am aware of several more programs intending to transition to the DPT. This is one of the fastest fundamental changes in the history of PT education in the USA. A discussion about education standards and degrees awarded around the world would be most interesting from my perspective. Yong Hao wrote: > Dear PT colleagues, > > The email posted by Henry on “evidence based practice” on 16 October 2000 > has certainly triggered a significant number of insightful, inflammatory > (regarding EPAs), informative and often incisive email exchanges. When Ms.. > Nikki Petty wrote that concepts from Maitland, McKenzie, Mulligan, Edwards, > Elvey, Butler, Travell & Simons, Jull, Richardson, Hodges, Hides, > Kaltenborn, Cyriax were taught to undergraduate physiotherapy students at > the University of Brighton (School of Healthcare Professions), Henry was > clearly (in writing) impressed. Although concepts of renowned experts and > gurus are taught, I wonder if these concepts were critically analysed in > light of studies that support or challenge cherished concepts like capsular > patterns or the ability of McKenzie trained testers to reliably classify > patients with LBP into meaningful clinical classifications groups? Taking > the time to teach students the concepts is admirable; but getting the > students to critically analyse the concepts (and be comfortable with the > uncertainty of the clinical world) is however the harder part. > > Instead of advertising which school is teaching what, or who came from > where, evidence-based practice should perhaps encompass more than a “wrench > box” of eponyms and techniques to include a thoughtful discussion of our > research and our foundation sciences – something that cannot be achieved > reasonably within the confines of a 3 or 4-year baccalaureate course. > > Regards, > Pua Yong Hao > Singapore > > _________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > > Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at > http://profiles.msn.com. ******************************************************* Douglas M. White, PT, OCS Physical Therapist, Consultant 191 Blue Hills Parkway Milton, MA USA 02186 P: 617.696.1974 [log in to unmask] http://DouglasWhite.tripod.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%