The Importance of Lab Immersions in Physical Therapy Education

Lab immersions in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs are essential for bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world clinical practice.  

These hands-on experiences not only enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills but also build the confidence students need to succeed in clinical environments.  

In this article, we explore the crucial role lab immersions play in hybrid accelerated DPT programs and offer practical strategies for preparing both faculty and students to maximize engagement and ensure effective outcomes.

The Purpose of Lab Immersions

As we explore the impact of lab immersions in hybrid accelerated DPT programs, it's essential to understand their core purpose.

These immersive experiences are designed to enhance psychomotor skills, advance critical thinking, and improve clinical decision-making. They serve as a vital link between didactic learning and real-world application, providing students with the opportunity to refine techniques and assess their readiness for clinical practice.  

By bridging the gap between theory and practice, lab immersions empower students to build confidence in their abilities, ensuring they are well-prepared for the challenges of clinical environments.

Structure and Implementation

Evidence In Motion (EIM) works closely with university partners to ensure lab immersions in hybrid accelerated DPT programs are carefully structured to incorporate online coursework and maximize student learning.  

The online curriculum leading up to the immersion lab guides students through Bloom’s taxonomy. It starts with asynchronous lectures that build a foundational understanding, followed by activities that encourage active engagement and application.  

Next, synchronous sessions connect this content to real-world applications through case studies and patient examples, deepening knowledge. This progression prepares students for the immersion lab, where they apply their knowledge, demonstrate psychomotor skills, and enhance clinical reasoning, advancing through Bloom’s taxonomy.

Courses with lab components balance credits and contact hours between didactic and lab content. The frequency of in-person labs in a DPT program depends on the study plan, course sequence, and credit hours. Face-to-face immersion lab instruction is crucial for developing competent physical therapists, with each lab credit hour equaling 40 hours of instruction.

Typically, students engage in six weeks of online learning—comprising both asynchronous content and synchronous sessions—before participating in the lab immersion. This course design ensures a balanced approach, providing ample time for direct instruction, independent study, and the practical application of skills.

Key Components of Lab Immersions

To ensure the effectiveness of lab immersions in DPT programs, it’s essential to focus on specific elements that enhance student learning and skill development.  

Dr. Angela MacCabe, EIM's Physical Therapy Academic Officer, highlights four key components that make these immersive experiences impactful:

1. Hands-on practice:" We want students to gain hands-on experience with a diverse range of body types, shapes, and identities. This varied exposure and practice ensures the development of effective and safe psychomotor skills ensuring they are well-prepared for clinical education rotations where students will be working with real patients under the supervision of licensed physical therapist clinical instructor.”

2. Case-based learning: Case-based learning helps students connect theoretical knowledge to practical application. "It allows students to truly integrate information at a higher level," MacCabe noted. By presenting students with realistic clinical scenarios, case-based learning improves their ability to apply their knowledge and develop effective critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills.

3. Simulation and role-playing: " You want students to have the opportunity for experiential learning to review and practice the psychomotor and affective behavior skills they need. We provide students with concrete experiences promoting the application of skills within a case-based context. Allowing students to take on the specific role within this context deepens their understanding and real-world application," MacCabe emphasized. Additionally, having students switch between patient and Physical Therapy (PT) roles enhances understanding, skill acquisition, and development of empathy.

4. Reflective practice and debriefing: We aim to provide a supportive environment where students can reflect not only on their mistakes but also on what they did well, helping them grow and refine their skills. Guided reflection fosters critical thinking and promotes abstract conceptualization and active experimentation from their experiences before entering the clinical practice environment.

Challenges in Designing Lab Immersions

Designing effective lab immersions presents several challenges, including securing well-trained faculty, ensuring consistent focus on developing students' entry-level competencies, and aligning content and skill acquisition milestones with accreditation standards.  

PT educators bring invaluable clinical expertise to the classroom, but many lack formal training in learning theory, which is essential for cultivating meaningful and impactful learning experiences. Bridging this gap is crucial to ensuring excellence in health care education, as it empowers educators to not only share their clinical knowledge but also to effectively facilitate deep, lasting student learning.

EIM tackles these challenges by offering robust faculty development, promoting best practices in hybrid education, and ensuring faculty expertise is current and grounded in evidence-based practice to keep programs in line with accreditation requirements.

Seamless Integration of Hybrid Learning  

EIM's curriculum team collaborates with faculty to ensure a cohesive blend of asynchronous, synchronous, and face to face immersion lab learning experiences. They offer professional development to help instructors adapt to the nuances of online and hybrid teaching models.

EIM’s focuses on maximizing the effectiveness for all components of the hybrid model through the intentional scaffolding of learning within the framework of Blooms Taxonomy and incorporating active learning, simulations, and reflective practices, the model fosters deep student engagement.

EIM further strengthens the hybrid model by continuously assessing and refining instructional strategies based on student feedback and performance data. This iterative approach ensures that learning experiences remain adaptive, promoting continuous improvement and ensuring students are well-prepared for both the classroom and clinical environments.

Summary

Lab immersions are a cornerstone of PT education, offering students the vital opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a hands-on, real-world setting. These immersive experiences enhance critical thinking, psychomotor skills, and clinical reasoning, effectively preparing students for their clinical rotations and future practice.  

Students report higher engagement and motivation when participating in hands-on labs. Dane, a Hanover College DPT graduate said, “The lab immersion part was by far, I would say, my favorite part because now we're hands on and it was a breath of fresh air.”

EIM is proud to work as an partner to institutions, providing exceptional lab immersion experiences. To learn more about EIM, schedule a free consultation.