Abstract
This project was designed to present an alternative teaching method for documentation in the curriculum for doctorate of physical therapy students. Accurate and detailed documentation is a requirement for communication between health care professionals as well as a means of reimbursement for services provided. Thorough documentation prevents costly medical errors and ultimately improves health care delivery. Current curriculum for documentation consists of case scenarios written in paragraph format with corresponding lectures. The alternative teaching method presented in this study consists of videos depicting four different evaluation scenarios: shoulder impingement, spinal cord injury (ASIA assessment), low back pain, and plantar fasciitis. Students are asked to watch a video, individually complete the appropriate documentation forms that coincide with that video, and then form small groups to discuss individual findings. Students are also prompted to answer questions at the end of each video. This project offers an integrative approach to documentation instruction by accommodating various student learning styles and by simulating a genuine patient-therapist relationship. This study seeks to prepare physical therapy students in their first year of the doctorate program and increase their knowledge and confidence in documentation skills prior to their first full-time clinical experience.