Physiotherapists' perceptions of the gap between education and practice

The extent to which a university education prepares graduates for the workplace has become an important issue in the health science literature internationally. New challenges in the workplace suggest that physiotherapists need knowledge and skills additional to those pertaining to the client-therapist interface. However, there are few data on which to base decisions for curricula changes. The present study investigated the perceptions of 239 graduate physiotherapists regarding the adequacy of their undergraduate education at The University of Sydney in equipping them for the current workplace. The results indicated that physiotherapy graduates perceived important gaps between the knowledge and skills gained as a result of their university education and those required in the workplace, particularly in the areas of communication with clients, coping in the workplace, knowledge of the health industry and workplace management. The results highlight the need for change in the educational preparation of physiotherapists.