National College | الكلية الوطنية-PHYSIOTHERAPY PROGRAM

PHYSIOTHERAPY PROGRAM

10-September-2010

The need for physiotherapists is on the rise all over the world, especially in a one-million square mile country, of all climates and contours.

The Sudan has been producing health professional for about a century, physiotherapy has not been one of them.
A glance at the health indicators of the country shows that all done in the last century could not bridge the gap between this country and the rest of the world. Currently, there are less than 10 professional physiotherapists in the Sudan. Previously, Sudan has been leading in innovation of health professionals training. The medical assistant, the traditional midwife, community oriented medical graduates, and problem-based learning have started earlier in Sudan than in any other country.

Sudanese physiotherapists used to go abroad, to Western or Eastern Europe to learn the techniques and come back, and continue their profession with little, if any, continuous education. This college program aims at graduating Diploma and B.SC physiotherapists. Future development included establishing a national physiotherapy center, professional society and postgraduate courses.

1. OBJECTIVES

1.1 Objectives of the Program (College)
The objectives of the National College- physiotherapy program - are to:
1.Emphasize values and ethical heritage of the Sudanese Nation in its curriculum, and follow strategies that lead to strengthening these values, as an important component of the National College philosophy and message.
2.Graduate a physiotherapy professional at the technician (DipPT) and technologist (B.ScPT) levels with strong community orientation and ethical components.
3.Contribute to community development through health services provided in its own health institutions and other institutions co-operating with it, through the following: (a) partnership in designing health programs and plans, and implement whatever is feasible in utilizing the experience of specialists, (b) Contribution in continuous education through short and long term courses, to improve efficiency of health workers, and (c) Provision of essential equipments and supplies to improve quality of services, through partnership with the Ministry of Health.
4.Strengthen medical and health research in physical therapy and related profession, making use of the National College's accessibility and communication privileges.

1.2 Objectives of the Curriculum (Characteristics of the physiotherapy graduate)
A graduate of the National College Physiotherapy Program should be able to:
1.Adopt the strategies of the College and abide by its objectives and rules stated in its constitution.
2.Observe in his/her practice, the health professional ethics which agree with the Nation's values, beliefs and norms (as stated by Sudan Medical Council, and Sudan Allied Health Professionals Council), and maintain good and honest relations with his/her patients, their families, his/her colleagues across all sectors involved in health.
3.Diagnose and manage cases of physical disability and pay attention to other health problems prevalent at the level of the individual, family or society, with special emphasis on the nutritional and environmental problems common in developing countries, and plays an active role in health promotion.
4.Integrate basic, community, clinical and physical sciences in solving the individual physical problems
5.Use scientific knowledge in diagnosis and management of problems managed through physiotherapy, according to known methods of problem solving and integration, and explains the scientific structural (anatomical), functional (physiological, biochemical), morbid (microbiological, pathological), and therapeutic (physical) background related to the problems
6.Manage relevant emergencies, and decide and act properly on cases needing referrals to specialized centers or personnel.
7.Accepts to work in all settings according to needs, and act to improve health service delivery systems both quantitatively and qualitatively.
8.Encourage community participation and act in recruiting various sectors in defining health and health-related problems, planning and providing suitable solutions, recognizing the community beliefs, ethics, and traditional practices.
9.Adhere to "health team" approach, acting as an efficient member, and ensuring both effectiveness and homogeneity among the members.
10.Administer a physiotherapy and physical fitness "unit" or "center" efficiently according to scientific, medical, statistical, economic and legal bases.
11.Continue to consider elements of efficiency, costing and economic implications in his/her diagnostic and therapeutic choices.
12.Acquire the skills of teaching, learning and communication efficiently to carry out his/her duties in health education and in winning the confidence of patients and their families and societies.
13.Acquire the skills of self education (self-directed learning), and contribute to availing opportunities for planning and implementing continuous education activities to upgrade his/her own abilities and those of his/her colleagues in the health team.
14.Carry health or health-related research, alone or with a health team, using scientific methods known in such activities.
15.Use computer in word processing, statistics and graphics to achieve success in other objectives of his/her career, and skills of computer-assisted presentations..
16.Acquire postgraduate qualification in the discipline of his/her choice, recognizing the needs of the society for certain specialties, particularly general practice and family care in dentistry.

2. EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES

The learning strategies emphasize:
(1) early acquisition of basic skills,
(2) student-centered learning, and maximum student responsibility in the learning process,
(3) problem-based and problem-oriented learning,
(4) community–based and community-oriented educational activities,
(5) integration of basic science, community and clinical practice in a multidisciplinary approach,
(6) self- and peer education and evaluation,
(7) team-work approach,
(8) a wide range of electives,
(9) continuous evaluation, and (10) continuous education.

3. DUCATIONAL METHODS

The College programs adopt the following methods in the daily activities:
(1) problem oriented education,
(2) seminars and small group discussions,
(3) field practice in rural and primary health care settings and societies not less than 1/5^th of the timetable,
(4) practical sessions (laboratory, clinical) not less than 1/^4th of the curriculum timetable,
(5) lectures -not more than 1/3^rd of the curriculum timetable,
(6) educational assignments, reports and research activities, and
(7) electives -not more than 10% of the curriculum timetable.

4. STRUCTURE OF THE PHYSIOTHERAPY PROGRAM

The B. Sc. Physiotherapy program requires four years (8 semesters) divided into three phases: The first two and half years (Semesters 1-5) are based at the main campus of the College with one or two days off campus in visits to relevant institutions and training facilities. The last one and half years (Semesters 6-8) are based at clinical training sites, with only one or two days at the main campus. The program schedule therefore involves considerable commitment from students to be on time at the respective sites specified in their daily timetables. Each student should have a functioning e-mail address for last moment changes, a frequent incident in field training programs.

Phases:
Phase 1:Introductory courses and College requirements =Semesters 1
Phase 2: Requirements (cont.)+ Physical therapy sciences =Semesters 2-5
Phase 3: Clinical training =Semesters 6-8