Doctor of Physiotherapy (MC-DPHYSIO) // Attributes, outcomes and skills

Self

• Professional Practitioner Develop a growth mindset and critically reflect on personal attitudes and behaviours so as to anticipate, adapt and grow in response to your roles as a physiotherapist
• Health and Wellbeing Anticipate, adapt and grow in response to complex and changing circumstances, building resilience and managing personal wellbeing.
• Evidence Informed Practice Analyse and reflect on learning experiences as a form of clinical enquiry informing personal practice wisdom and ongoing professional development.
• Partnerships Recognise conflict and analyse individual strengths, and act upon the need to develop and expand personal skills for respectful collaborative relationships
• Education Report on personal development as a self-regulated learner with the skills for lifelong learning and actively reflect on respond to the learning opportunities provided within the physiotherapy program
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Critically reflect on and respond to personal cultural worldviews and dominant cultural paradigms through the lens of white privilege, power and race that influence interactions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Communication Exemplify clear, concise, effective communication by reflecting on and adapting individual communication preferences in response to the environmental and cultural context
• Ethical Practitioner Examine personal moral stance on issues relevant to health and wellbeing of all and routinely compare these to defined ethical standards to improve personal behaviours
• Sustainability Analyse and actively respond to personal role and responsibility for utilisation and ethical consumption of available healthcare resources

Practitioner

• Professional Practitioner Apply advanced knowledge of the biological, psychological, social determinants of health to assess, plan, implement and evaluate an effective, efficient, culturally responsive and client centered physiotherapy service.
• Health and Wellbeing Demonstrate valid clinical reasoning in promoting the health and wellbeing of clients to achieve optimal functional and participation outcomes.
• Evidence Informed practice Identify, critique and apply contemporary research findings and scientific methods as a basis of physiotherapy practice
• Education Educate clients and relevant others on appropriate science based and evidence informed knowledge and skills to facilitate health behaviour change and self-management strategies for optimal health and wellbeing
• Partnership Apply expert physiotherapy knowledge to engage effectively with consumers and colleagues to provide safe, high quality person-centred health care within their physiotherapy scope of practice
• Communication Apply exemplary communication strategies to convey empathy and respect and build trust in professional relationships with clients and relevant others to achieve optimal health and wellbeing for all, and use all forms of communication to record the outcomes of therapeutic interactions
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Apply evidence, strengths based best practice approaches to ensure responsive, inclusive, safe and effective healthcare and health outcomes in the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and communities
• Sustainability Evaluate service provision priorities, resources and economic determinants of health to deliver efficient and sustainable healthcare for optimal health outcomes 
• Ethical Practitioner Demonstrate advanced knowledge of standards of practice for registered health practitioners and execute ethical physiotherapy practice in all learning and professional contexts, ensuring quality improvement and risk management in practice

Advocate

• Professional Practitioner Advocate for clients' equitable access to effective health care services that addresses their personal health needs and goals
• Health and Wellbeing Champion and promote local and global population health and wellbeing
• Partnerships Identify and collaborate with strategic partners to define a clear vision for the growth of quality healthcare services and outcomes in the interest of community groups.
• Evidence Informed practice Justify and promote a research and funding agenda that promotes equitable health outcomes and research translation appropriate for all communities
• Ethical Practitioner Promote the use of ethical principles in advancing the health and well-being of all individuals and communities
• Education Advance the profession through dissemination of knowledge about the role and best practice of physiotherapy in health and wellbeing outcomes at individual and community level.
• Communication Use all forms of communication to promote and create awareness of the value of physiotherapy practice and its potential to impact on the determinants of health, health services delivery and policy
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Apply the principles of reciprocity and shared leadership in advocating for equitable health outcomes and culturally safe services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and to proactively manage resistance to change from others
• Sustainability Understand the socio-economic, geopolitical and cultural influences on local and global health and contribute to the transformation and provision of an enduring and equitable health care system

A key objective of the DPT program is to prepare its graduates for excellence in professional practice through the development of a reflective and compassionate relationship in the following six domains.

1.Self

In building their relationship with self, students will be expected to develop:

· an understanding of the principles of empathy, compassion, honesty, integrity, altruism, resilience and lifelong curiosity, the ability to demonstrate them and a recognition of their importance in health care
· an understanding of the principles of reflective practice, the ability to apply them, and a recognition of their importance in health care
· an understanding of the principles of self-awareness, the ability to recognise when clinical problems exceed their knowledge and skill, and a willingness to seek help
· the ability to identify and address their own learning needs
· the ability to respond constructively to appraisal, performance review or assessment
· the ability to manage uncertainty
· the ability to apply effective time management and organisational skills
· the ability to recognise and manage emotion in themselves and others
· the ability to maintain their own physical, emotional, social and spiritual health and a recognition of the importance of professional support in this process
· a recognition of their own personal, spiritual, cultural or religious beliefs and an awareness that these beliefs must not prevent the provision of adequate and appropriate care to the patient

2. Knowledge

In building their relationship with knowledge, students will be expected to develop:

· an understanding of the scientific method relevant to biological, behavioural and social science
· an understanding of research methods and their applications.
· an understanding of normal structure, function and development of the human body at all stages of life
· an understanding of normal life processes including conception, development, birth, ageing and death.
· an understanding of the factors that might disturb normal structure, function and development
· an understanding of the aetiology, pathology, symptoms and signs, natural history and prognosis of important physical illness in all stages of life
· an understanding of the management (pharmacological, physical, nutritional, behavioural and psychological) of important medical conditions
· the ability to access new knowledge from all sources, to analyse and interpret it in a critical manner, and to apply it appropriately to their provision of health care
· the ability to learn from patients, health professionals and the community in a broad range of settings
· an appreciation of the responsibility to contribute towards the generation of new knowledge

3. Patients

In building their relationship with patients, students will be expected to develop:


· an understanding of and respect for the rights of patients including patient choice, dignity and privacy
· the ability to communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds including the ability to listen to, respond to, inform and understand the patient’s perspective
· the ability to advocate appropriately on behalf of the patient
· an understanding of factors affecting human relationships and the psychological, cultural and spiritual well-being of patients
· an understanding of principles of rehabilitation in the amelioration of suffering from acute or chronic disability
· an understanding of chronic illness and disability and its impact on the patient, their carers and communities
· the ability to construct with the patient an accurate, thorough, organised, physiotherapy history and examination
· the ability to integrate and interpret clinical findings and apply rigorous reasoning to arrive at an appropriate plan of management
· the ability to formulate an evidence-based and cost effective management plan in collaboration with the patient
· the ability to recognise serious illness
· the ability to perform relevant physiotherapy procedures effectively and safely, with due regard for the patient’s comfort


4. Physiotherapy profession

In building their relationship with the physiotherapy profession, students will be expected to develop:

· an understanding of the continuum of physiotherapy training and the diverse roles and expertise of physiotherapists
· an understanding of the potential conflicts of interest that may confront physiotherapists and other health professionals
· an understanding of and ability to apply the principles of ethics in the provision of health care and research.
· an understanding of organisational governance, the ability to be an active participant in professional organisations, and an appreciation of the benefits of this participation
· an understanding of the principles of mentorship and the ability to apply them with colleagues
· the ability to give effective feedback to colleagues in order to help them improve their performance
· an understanding of educational theory and practice and the ability to teach
· an appreciation of the responsibility to maintain standards of physiotherapy practice at the highest level throughout a professional career


5. Systems of health care

In building their relationship with systems of health care, students will be expected to develop:

· an understanding of the roles, responsibilities and expertise of all health professionals, and how they work in teams to deliver health care
· a respect for the roles and expertise of other health care professionals and the ability to communicate effectively with them
· an understanding of the principles of team work and the ability to work effectively in a team, including as a leader
· an appreciation of the responsibility to contribute to the education of all health professionals
· an understanding of the principles of efficient and equitable allocation and use of finite resources in health care systems, locally and globally
· an understanding of the principles of quality and safety in health care systems
· the ability to work effectively as a physiotherapist within a quality and safety framework
· an understanding of the principles of effective record keeping and the ability to maintain high quality medical and physiotherapy records
· an understanding of the structure of the Australian health care system and health care systems globally
· an understanding of the role of political systems in shaping health care systems locally, nationally and internationally

6. Society

In building their relationship with society, students will be expected to develop:

· an understanding of the interactions between humans and their social and physical environment
· an understanding of the determinants of a well society and the economic, political, psychological, social and cultural factors that contribute to the development and persistence of health and illness
· an understanding of the principles of health promotion including primary and secondary prevention
· an understanding of the health of indigenous Australians including their history, cultural development and the impact of colonisation and the ongoing health disparities of indigenous people in this country and globally
· an understanding of the burden of disease in differing populations and geographic locations
· an understanding of the differing requirements of health care systems in a culturally diverse society
· the ability to consider local, regional, national and global ramifications of health care issues
· the ability to respect community values, including an appreciation of a diversity of backgrounds and cultural values
· an understanding of the principles of health literacy and a willingness and ability to contribute to the health education of the community
· the ability and a willingness to contribute to the community
· a commitment to contribute to the resolution of health inequities locally and globally
· an understanding of the relationship between environmental issues and the health of local communities and society
· a commitment to practise physiotherapy in an environmentally responsible way