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A description of Physical Therapists Knowledge in Basic Competence Examination of Musculo-skeletal Conditions an Italian National Cross-Sectional Survey

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 SUMMARY Background. According to the World Health Organization, musculoskeletal conditions (MSC) are a major contributor of disability worldwide. The prevalence and impact of MSC has created the need for more careful reflection on how all health professionals are trained about the appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of treatments for these complaints. Aim. To evaluate basic musculoskeletal knowledge in a population of Italian students and physiotherapists. Methods. Adaptation in Italian context and administration of 25-items quantitative cross-sectional paper-based survey was conducted. 460 physiotherapy students and graduates were involved in the survey. The survey focuses on the most common diagnoses seen in the musculoskeletal field and in the context of primary care. Data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results. Four-hundred and sixty respondents completed this paper-based survey. Overall respondents’ average score was 45.03/100 (pass rate of 7.8%). Physiotherapists with degrees (n=318) obtained an average score of 49.28/100 (SD +/18.08), with an overall pass rate of 10.7%. Physiotherapists with degrees and specialized in Manual Therapy obtained higher scores than non-specialized colleagues (62.40/100, SD +/16.63 and 39.83/100, SD +/15.90, respectively). Moreover, physiotherapists specialized in Manual Therapy obtained a significantly different sufficiency pass rate and did better than their non-specialized colleagues (28.3% versus 1.7%, p < 0.01) and even better than their colleagues specialized in Sports physiotherapy (average score 52.89/100, SD +/17.50, pass rate 11.1%). Physiotherapists with a Master of Science averaged a score of 61.37/100 (SD +/17.94) and a pass rate of 37.5%. Second year physiotherapy students scored 15.83/100 (SD +/10.57), while third year students scored 39.53/100 (SD +/14.26); however, students achieved a very low pass rate (0% and 1.7% respectively for the 2nd and the 3rd year students). Discussion and conclusions. This study provokes deep reflection on the structure and contents of the physiotherapy degree course: the results of this survey could lead to a radical restructuring of the academic syllabus so as to allow this scientific discipline to reach its full potential.