Alberta Internationally Educated

Physiotherapy Bridging Program (AIEPB)

http://rehabilitation.ualberta.ca/departments/physical-

therapy/alberta-internationally-educated-physiotherapists-bridging-

program

• Video

Alberta Internationally Educated

Physiotherapy Bridging Program (AIEPB)

Sponsoring Partners

Background

Health Canada Grant - Partnership between

Physiotherapy Alberta (College of PTs) and

UofA Physical Therapy Department

Project Goals:

To develop and implement an accessible and

financially manageable bridging program for

IEPTs in Alberta.

To successfully integrate IEPTs into the Alberta

workforce.

Background

Current vacancies + workforce planning

numbers = continued shortage of PTs

Many IEPTs struggle to enter healthcare

workplace Need credentialing by Canadian Alliance of

Physiotherapy Regulators

Must successfully complete 2 part national exam

Resources for IEPT have been inconsistent

IEPT Bridging in Canada

Past Pilot Project - Ryerson

Current Full Bridging:

OIEPB Program – University of Toronto

AIEPB Program – University of Alberta

QPP – University of Montreal

National Exam Preparation

UBC Study Modules

SART© Self-Assessment

Exam Prep Workshops

Study Groups

Bridging Applicant Profile

Unsuccessful attempts at national exam Very traditional learning environments

e.g. 90% theory; 10%’practical – often observational not ‘performing’

Often have never had MCQ or OSCE exams

Minimal clinical fieldwork within programs

Clinical reasoning and decision making not included in education

Knowledge and skill erosion (+ gaps!)

Differences in PT scope of practice + in delivery

approach in source country when compared to

Canada Medical delegation vs autonomous practice model

Directive care vs patient-centered care

Bridging Applicants - Source Countries

AIEPB Program Operations and Oversight

Governance Committee

Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee

6 regular Faculty/Staff members

Co-directors – Administration & Curriculum

Clinical Placement and Lab Coordinator

Teaching Assistants remote sites – Calgary

and Medicine Hat Labs

Program Admin Assistant

AIEPB Program Development

Development phase March 2012- April 2013

User Centered Design Consideration of geographic location, learner time

constraints (i.e. employment, family), etc.

Leveraged distance education model in use in MScPT

program

4 Courses (UofA credit courses) 3 academic, 1 clinical placement

Academic courses are blended

Combination of online and in-person sessions

Mentorship component

Who is ‘bridgeable’?

Assessment Components

Basic Knowledge Exam (100 MCQ)

Clinical OSCE

(6 Stations)

Multiple Mini

Interviews (6 Stations)

Written Questions

(5-7 Short Composition)

Overall Score/Ranking

• Applicants screened (e.g. credentialing, language assessment score)

then invited to Admission Assessment

Admission Assessments

1-Day Assessment of all 4 components

Matching assessments in AB and ON

IEPTs are provided with detailed individual

performance report

**so far, additional 6 assessed Mar 18; offers pending

Applicants

(Alberta)

Assessed Offered Admitted

2013 27 23 17

2014 28 22 20

2015 34 22* 20*

AIEPB Program - curriculum

4 courses; 3 Academic Courses + 1 six-week

Clinical Placement (all UofA credit courses)

Curriculum for academic courses developed based on

knowledge and skill gaps (sources: Alliance credentialing

and exam results, literature, other programs)

Blended Format for academic courses

Boot Camp (1 week in-person orientation with Mentor day)

Online Modules (presentations, discussion, evaluation)

In-person Labs (video-linked) in Edmonton, Calgary and

this next cohort – Medicine Hat

Mentorship - weekly or bi-weekly (6 hours total with

PT clinician in practice setting)

Mentorship

Provides critical exposure ‘early and often’ to

the Canadian Health Care Context

Integral to our curriculum delivery model

Required immense clinical community

support

Students end up with 110 mentorship hours

(plus 6 week fulltime placement = 220 clinical

contact hours

Video http://rehabilitation.ualberta.ca/departments/physical-therapy/alberta-internationally-

educated-physiotherapists-bridging-program/program-description/mentors

AIEPB Program Learnings - Cohort 1&2

Well received by students and PT clinicians

Mentorship more successful than expected

Students report value of learning in a new way

Study groups scheduled with MScPT students

Placement offers comparable to those for

Canadian MScPT students

Early results are promising!

12 students have passed the National Written Exam and

now have temporary practice permits,

5 of those have also passed the Clinical Exam and are fully

licensed and working as PTs

AIEPB Program – Current Activities

Cohort 1 - 14/16 successfully completed the

program

Cohort 2 (n=17) – currently completing the final

academic course

Cohort 3 - Admission Assessment currently

underway

Stand-alone Exam Prep workshops (Written &

Clinical) have been developed and offered

Distance format Context of Canadian PT practice

course currently in its third offering (total of ~ 93 students finished or

registered)

AIEPB Program - looking ahead …

3rd Cohort with satellite lab in Medicine Hat

Testing for model of expansion to more remote

sites

Full program evaluation

Further development of stand-alone learning

resources and workshops

Sustainability planning

Grant funding ends with 3rd cohort

Sustainability

Proposal to create Post Graduate certificate

Cost recovery (implications for $ to

students??)

Pre-req: Canadian Health Care context online

course

Shorten to 3 courses total

Currently 4 courses (3 academic terms {12 mo}

plus clinical placement)

Shorten to 2 academic terms {8 mo} plus clinical

placement

Thank You!

Questions?