ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Physiotherapy entry-level education has undergone extreme changes over the past century. Entry-level physiotherapy education has evolved from a 6-month to 1-year training course coinciding with World War I to a diploma programme. Although diversity in physiotherapy education still exists, since the 1980s physiotherapy education programmes have progressed from a diploma programme (still in existence in some African, Asian and eastern European countries) to a 3-or 4-year baccalaureate degree (e.g. European Union countries, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand), a master’s degree (e.g. Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia) and a clinical doctorate degree (e.g. the United States, Australia).1 Numerous factors drive changes in entry-level education, physiotherapy curriculum, delivery methods (including ever-changing healthcare environments and systems), and continuous advances in healthcare and information technology. Currently, theory is considered foundational and is wholly integrated with practice within curricula; physiotherapy entry-level education is scientifi cally based, with less focus on ‘recipe approaches’ and observation and opinion-based decision-making; and evidence-based practice is now considered an essential element of physiotherapy programmes worldwide.1,2
Th ese education changes are well aligned with evolutionary shift s in the physiotherapy profession. Physiotherapy is an area of study that involves an expansive body of knowledge, and as a profession it has developed a distinct domain. Current physiotherapy speciality areas are numerous and varied, and physiotherapists work with a multitude of client populations. In addition to practising in diverse practice settings, from more traditional settings to schools, hospices and industry, physiotherapists also practise in non-patient care areas including the medico-legal fi eld, health policy and health administration. Direct access to physiotherapy services in many jurisdictions worldwide has resulted in professional autonomy, making physiotherapists responsible for their professional judgements and actions.3 Th e outcome of this independent and self-determined authority and accountability for decision-making is an everincreasing complexity of physiotherapy care and clinical practice environments.
