Does Dosing of Pediatric Experiential Learning Impact the Development of Clinical Reasoning, Self-Efficacy, and Critical Thinking in DPT Students?

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to explore the changes in clinical reasoning, self-efficacy, and critical thinking of a group of Doctor of Physical (DPT) students who completed a high and low dose of pediatric experiential learning (EL) as a component of their semester-long pediatric course. METHODS: A convenience sample of students at two DPT programs in the United States were recruited. A pre-test post-test comparison group design was used to examine the change in students' clinical reasoning, self-efficacy, and critical thinking following completion of a pediatric course that contained a high or low dose of EL. Students completed the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning, Physical Therapy Self-Efficacy Scale, and Health Science Reasoning Test during the first and last weeks of the semester. Students in the high-dose group reported a significant increase (p = 0.000) over time in self-perceived clinical reasoning and self-efficacy. Overall critical thinking abilities significantly improved (p = 0.044) over time in both groups. CONCLUSION: A high dose of pediatric EL seems to aid students in the development of self-perceived clinical reasoning and self-efficacy. Providing students with EL opportunities prior to pediatric rotations may help to bolster these important skills, leading to improved clinical performance.