PT 642 Foundations in Evidence-Based Physical Therapy
Research informs diagnostic, prognostic, examination and intervention practices in physical therapy. Evidence-based practice is defined as the integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and the patient’s unique set of values and circumstances. This course will explore the concepts and theories of research, the general principles of reliability and validity, research designs and methods used to categorize and analyze clinical data. Students will learn how to develop a searchable clinical question, search the evidence, critically appraise this evidence and integrate knowledge into evidence-based practice. The design of this course includes independent investigation of the applicability and quality of research designs including, but not limited to, intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines.