PREAMBLE

Physiotherapy or Physical Therapy (P.T.) is a Movement Science with an established theoretical and scientific base and widespread clinical applications in the Prevention, Restoration & Rehabilitation, Maintenance and Promotion of optimal physical function. Physiotherapists diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. This physical dysfunction may be the sequelae of involvement of any of the systems like Musculoskeletal, Neurological, Cardiovascular, Respiratory or other body systems. These practitioners contribute to society and the profession through practice, teaching, administration, and the discovery and application of new knowledge about physiotherapy experiences of sufficient excellence and breadth by research to allow the acquisition and application of essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors as applied to the practice of physiotherapy. Learning experiences are provided under the guidance and supervision of competent faculty, in both, classroom as well as in clinic. The designed curriculum will prepare the entry-to-practice physiotherapist (PT), to be an autonomous, effective, safe and compassionate professional, who practices collaboratively in a variety of healthcare set ups such as neonatal to geriatric, from critical care to community fitness to sports training and is responsive to the current and future needs of the health care system.

VISION: To create a best possible environment to prepare physiotherapist who shall lead to serve & heal in a variety of healthcare and social settings to provide best quality of life to an individual.

MISSION: To graduate knowledgeable, service-oriented, self-assured, adaptable, reflective practitioners who, by virtue of critical and integrative thinking along with clinical reasoning, lifelong learning, and ethical values, render independent judgments concerning patient /person needs those are supported by evidence; promote the health of the patient or person; and enhance the professional, contextual, and collaborative foundations for physiotherapy practice.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

The following “essential requirements” specify those attributes that the faculty consider necessary for completing the professional education enabling each graduate to subsequently enter clinical practice. The purpose of this curriculum is to delineate the cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills deemed essential for completion of this program and to perform as a competent physiotherapist who will be able to evaluate, plan & execute physiotherapy treatment independently.

COGNITIVE LEARNING SKILLS: The student must demonstrate the ability to receive, interpret, remember, reproduce and use information in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains of learning to solve problems, evaluate work, and generate new ways of processing or categorizing similar information listed in course objectives.

PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS:

The student must demonstrate the following skills.

1. Locomotion ability: Get to lecture, laboratory and clinical locations, and move within rooms as needed for changing groups, partners and work stations. Move quickly in an emergency situation to protect the patient (e.g. from falling).

2. Manual tasks:

a. Maneuver another person’s body parts to effectively perform evaluation techniques. Manipulate common tools used for screening tests of the cranial nerves, sensation, range of motion, blood pressure, e.g., cotton balls, safety pins, goniometers, Q-tips, sphygmomanometer. Safely and effectively guide, facilitate, inhibit, and resist movement and motor patterns through physical facilitation and inhibition techniques (including ability to give timely urgent verbal feedback).

b. Manipulate another person’s body in transfers, gait, positioning, exercise, and mobilization techniques. Manipulate evaluation and treatment equipment safely and accurately apply to patients. Manipulate bolsters, pillows, plinths, mats, gait assistive devices, and other supports or chairs to aid in positioning, moving, or treating a patient effectively.

c. Competently perform and supervise cardiopulmonary resuscitation

3. Fine motor/hand skills:

a. Legibly record thoughts for written assignments (including diagrams) and tests. Document evaluations, patient care notes, referrals, etc. in standard medical charts in hospital/clinical settings in a timely manner and consistent with the acceptable norms of clinical settings.

b. Safely apply and adjust the dials or controls of therapeutic modalities.

c. Safely and effectively position hands and apply mobilization and therapeutic techniques.

4. Visual acuity to:

a. Read written and illustrated material in the English language, in the form of lecture handouts, textbooks, literature and patient’s chart.

b. Observe active demonstrations in the classroom.

c. Visualize training videos, projected slides/overheads, X-ray pictures, and notes written on a blackboard/whiteboard.

d. Receive visual information from patients, e.g., movement, posture, body mechanics, and gait necessary for comparison to normal standards for purposes of evaluation of movement dysfunctions.

e. Receive visual information from treatment environment, e.g., dials on modalities and monitors, assistive devices, furniture, flooring, structures, etc.

f. Receive visual clues as to the patient’s tolerance of the intervention procedures. These may include facial grimaces, muscle twitching, withdrawal etc.

5. Auditory acuity to:

a. Hear lectures and discussion in an academic and clinical setting.

b. Distinguish between normal and abnormal breathing, lung and heart sounds using a stethoscope.

6. Communication:

a. Effectively communicate information and safety concerns with other students, teachers, patients, peers, staff and personnel by asking questions, giving information, explaining conditions and procedures, or teaching home programs. These all need to be done in a timely manner and within the acceptable norms of academic and clinical settings.

b. Receive and interpret written communication in both academic and clinical settings in a timely manner.

c. Receive and send verbal communication in life threatening situations in a timely manner within the acceptable norms of clinical settings.

d. Physiotherapy education presents exceptional challenges in the volume and breadth of required reading and the necessity to impart information to others. Students must be able to communicate quickly, effectively and efficiently in oral and written English with all members of the health care team.

7. Self care: Maintain general good health and self care in order not to jeopardize the health and safety of self and individuals with whom one interacts in the academic and clinical settings.

AFFECTIVE LEARNING SKILLS:

The student must be able to:

1. Demonstrate respect to all people, including students, teachers, patients and medical personnel, without showing bias or preference on the grounds of age, race, gender, sexual preference, disease, mental status, lifestyle, opinions or personal values.

2. Demonstrate appropriate affective behaviors and mental attitudes in order not to jeopardize the emotional, physical, mental, and behavioral safety of patients and other individuals with whom one interacts in the academic and clinical settings and to be in compliance with the ethical standards of the profession.

3. Acknowledge and respect individual values and opinions in order to foster harmonious working relationships with colleagues, peers, and patients.

PROFESSIONAL DRESS CODE STANDARDS:

It is important to portray a professional image. A clinician with inappropriate dress, grooming or conduct can damage the patient's confidence in the quality of their care, sometimes even resulting in a delay in the restoration of health.

Haircuts, hairstyling, and personal grooming need to be neat, conservative and inconspicuous. Grooming and style should be practical and allow one's duties to be performed without embarrassment or inconvenience DRESS: Modest casual wear is appropriate on campus and in class. Clinical /Lab Dress: Aprons for all clinical assignments, any class that is held in a clinical facility and in any class where patients are present.

WORKING DAYS AND ATTENDANCE

As per the legislation given by the MUHS-Nashik-Maharashtra, the minimum course duration for each year of study is around 280-320 days, for which, every individually registered student’s attendance should be minimum 80%. As per MUHS rule, 75% attendance for Lectures and 80% attendance for Practical is compulsory failing which students shall not be permitted to appear final MUHS examinations. The students before appearing in the final MUHS examinations will have to clear all the internal examination securing atleast 50 % marks in both theory as well as practicals separately, failing which as per the MUHS norms, the student shall not be appear in the final MUHS examinations