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Bridge Program: An Alternative Curricular Model

Abstract With the motivation for career advancement, many adult learners have chosen to return to graduate education or professional programs. The bridge program is one relatively new alternative curricular model available for adult learners who wish to build on their education within their chosen profession. Evidence on the effectiveness of such programs for physical therapy is nonexistent. Thus, clinical performance outcomes between a bridge and a traditional physical therapy program were described and compared. The sample consisted of 157 students who completed either physical therapy program from The University of Findlay over a period of four years. Clinical Performance Instrument scores were analyzed to compare the differences between the two groups. While controlling the demographic variables, a significant difference was found with total Clinical Performance Instrument scores between the groups through analysis of covariance (alpha level was set at .05 for all procedures). After grouping the values of the Clinical Performance Instrument scores, the majority of the individual skills were found to have differences between the two groups. The higher Clinical Performance Instrument scores (total and individual), the increased number of total with distinction marks, and the greater attention to the consultation skill demonstrated positive outcomes through the bridge program. This alternative curricular model could be applied to other disciplines that have a large population of adult learners who are seeking advancement in their professions.