Musculoskeletal Clinical Practice (PHTY90098)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1 (Extended)
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This subject will be conducted predominantly in the clinical setting and will provide students with an opportunity to develop their clinical skills and to integrate their theoretical knowledge in musculoskeletal physiotherapy clinical practice. The emphasis in this subject is the application of clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice in the safe and effective assessment and management of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions in the clinical setting. This will apply in, communication, therapeutic interventions, advocacy and education working as a health professional within a team, with individuals and their carers, respecting their rights and choices within the healthcare setting.

Intended learning outcomes

The curriculum for the DPT program has been designed around 8 Learning Outcomes.

  • Integrate prior knowledge of musculoskeletal physiotherapy, common musculoskeletal conditions and the framework for clinical reasoning to the assessment and management of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions
  • Safely and effectively execute musculoskeletal assessment techniques, including history taking, observational movement analysis, measures of impairment, activity limitations and participation restrictions
  • Evaluate risk assessment procedures and demonstrate safe and effective manual handling skills that apply to the management of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions
  • Select, justify and demonstrate safe and effective physiotherapeutic intervention to address impairments and activity limitations in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions
  • Discriminate between different musculoskeletal physiotherapy treatment techniques on the basis of findings from experimental physiotherapy research
  • Use findings of high-quality clinical research to inform clinical decision-making in assessment and treatment of patients with musculoskeletal disorders
  • Demonstrate accurate and effective verbal and written communication skills within the clinical setting, including the ability to develop rapport and accommodate the cognitive, linguistic and cultural needs of the individual and their family/carer
  • Develop short term and long term treatment goals with the patient (or carers as appropriate) with discharge planning designed to meet these goals within existing constraints

Generic skills

On completion of this subject, students will have had the opportunity to develop the skills associated with:

  • Understanding factors that might disturb normal structure, function and development
  • Self-awareness, recognizing when clinical problems exceed personal knowledge and skills, and a willingness to seek help
  • Applying the principles of reflective practice, recognising its importance in health care
  • Communicating with patients from diverse backgrounds including the ability to listen to, respond to, inform and understand the patients' perspective

Last updated: 4 March 2025