Conference

Education Leadership Conference

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Date

10-30-2022

Abstract

While the abrupt shift in PT education (PTE) brought on by the pandemic created opportunities for educational innovation, it also brought relational separation and fragmented learning due to lockdowns, social distancing, face masks, and communication limited to virtual platforms. Academic programs increased use of virtual learning, rearranged curriculum, reduced lab and simulated learning time, and provided fewer, if any, opportunities for service learning and patient contact. Clinic sites paused clinic education experiences or hosted fewer students to maintain social distancing and limit disease exposure. As PTE returns to more typical curricular schedules and practices, it is important to be aware of the current challenges students may be facing. Common challenges include not only increased levels of anxiety and depression, but also problems with self-esteem and confidence, resilience, a growth mindset, and metacognition. This session will investigate the implications of the rise in prevalence of issues in internalizing professional identity and clinical competency for clinical education; the characteristics of unique mental health challenges, such as impostor phenomenon, compassion fatigue, and burnout; screening tools; and suggestions for successfully mentoring students who have low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, decreased resiliency, and imposter feelings.

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