The Relationship Between Clinical Instructor Characteristics and Student Perceptions of Clinical Instructor Effectiveness

Abstract

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between clinical instructor (CI) characteristics—professional (entry-level) degree, highest degree held, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) CI credentialing, APTA specialty certification, APTA membership, years of CI experience, and years of clinician experience—and students' assessment of their clinical experience and of their CI clinical instruction effectiveness using data acquired from APTA's Physical Therapist Student Evaluation: Clinical Experience and Clinical Instruction survey (PTSE). Subjects. Participants consisted of 112 pairs of physical therapist students and CIs. These pairings were taken from assessment data collected from the Clinical Education courses I, II, and III offered by one physical therapist program during the 2004 through 2006 academic years. Methods. Students and their respective CIs completed the PTSE at the conclusion of each clinical education course. Upon return to classes, students were asked to verify or revise their assessment of the clinical experience scores and their assessment of the clinical instruction scores for accuracy. Assessment and CI characteristics data were analyzed with 3 nonparametric statistical tests—Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient—to explore which CI characteristics were associated with the students' assessment of their clinical experience and of the clinical instruction. Results. The typical CI was female and had obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. 43% had 11 years or more of clinical experience, and 37% had 11 years or more of CI experience. Testing revealed a significant difference between the students' original assessment scores and their revised (more accurate) assessment scores. Analysis of revised scores revealed no significant positive association between the student-CI PTSE assessment scores and the CI's characteristics. The presence of APTA CI credentialing had a strongly significant positive effect on 4 of the 21 PTSE items measuring clinical instruction. Cronbach coefficients indicated that the 21-item PT Student Assessment of Clinical Instruction had acceptable internal consistency. Discussion and Conclusion. Using data collected with the PTSE, one program found that students do not perceive the more-qualified CI as being a more-effective provider of clinical instruction. Yet, the presence of APTA CI credentialing does significantly contribute to the quality of a few clinical instruction skills. Although the PTSE is not a useful tool for differentiating between excellent and good CIs, its usefulness is improved when students have an opportunity to revise answers.