Colleagues of the Clinical Education Community,
In the midst of an ever-evolving profession, I find myself pausing to reflect upon our journey and pen this message as the new Chair of the ACAPT Clinical Education Commission.
The sunsetting National Consortium of Clinical Educators (NCCE) has served as a pivotal cornerstone for Clinical Education (CE) within academic physical therapy. Over the years, CE, despite its foundational significance, has sometimes found itself in the shadows; however, this narrative has deeply evolved under the leadership of the ACAPT Board, NCCE leaders Donna Applebaum and Janice Howman, as well as countless other leaders and members who contributed their expertise. We, the CE community, are forever grateful.
It is our duty not to lose momentum, but rather build our pursuit of excellence as CE content experts, educators, and leaders. With your help, we will continue to influence and shape the future of physical therapy. We are the voice of the CE community in academic physical therapy. We're well-positioned with prowess, passion and dedication. I hope you see yourself in this message!
We met, bright-eyed and eager, as the newly established CE Commission to begin our work at the Physical Therapy Education Leadership Commission (ELC) 2024. Using the Excellence Framework to guide our first commission meeting we identified our direction would be led by four forces:
- ACAPT Board & relevant recommendations: The existing ACAPT strategic plan and associated goals of Academic Innovation, Influence and DEI provide a strong roadmap for the voice of CE to provide insightful and expert-driven direction, ensuring our strategies are both heard and grounded.
- Research trends & data: Leveraging current research and data allows us to shape our educational approaches effectively, ensuring students, patients, academic & clinical institutions are equipped with the latest and most relevant knowledge for decision-making. Be sure to check out ACAPT's clinical education resources here.
- Voice of the CE community & its stakeholders: Our strength lies in our unity and diversity. Listening and responding to the voices of clinical educators, students, and stakeholders inside and outside of physical therapy ensures our strategies remain relevant and progressive.
- Culture of clinical education excellence: We need to be committed to creating an environment where everyone is heard, represented, and empowered. We proudly state, we are a "Community of Excellence in Physical Therapy Clinical Education."
While still in its infancy stages, the CE Commission's early work will revolve around three main overlapping themes:
- Identifying and problem solving areas critical to the future of Clinical Education.
- Developing our internal operations.
- Continuing to foster a community of bi-directional communication.
With this understanding, one of our first initiatives is just that - listening. We want to bring together voices from the clinical education consortia across the country in a listening session(s) to understand what the needs are locally, regionally and nationally in clinical education. Stay tuned for more specifics and ways to engage in this vital conversation.
Don’t be a stranger, connect with the CE Commission regularly and let your voice be heard. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in this role.
Matt Calendrllo PT, DPT, BOCOP
Chair, CE Commission
clinicaleducation@acapt.org
Our good work begins!
(Left to right) Arvie Vitente, Matt Calendriollo, Katie Myers, Paul Smith, Janette Scardillo, Kelly Meyers, Carl Huggins.
Not pictured: Tara Paradie, Jenny Logan