Genetics Education for the Physical Therapy Profession

Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Spring 2005 by Goldberg, Allon

Physical Therapy

Genetics education has traditionally not constituted a significant component, if any, of most professional physical therapy curricula in the USA. A Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education (Version 2004),48oes however include references to genetics. An example of such a reference in the Normative Model is the following behavioral objective with respect to genetics and pharmacology: "List the factors that can alter normal pharmacokinetics (age, disease, drugs, genetics, nutrition, chemicals, body composition, and gender)." However, the small number of genetics references in the Normative Model and the exclusion of genetics from the basic foundational sciences listed in that document indicates that significant genetics content is not required in physical therapist professional education curricula. A recent survey of genetics knowledge of health professionals indicated that only 14% of physical therapist respondents reported taking one or more courses in genetics, while approximately 45% recalled having genetics content in a course.49 Furthermore, in contrast to the nursing and medicine examples outlined, there is a paucity of information in the physical therapy professional literature related to genetics. A PubMed search using keyword "genetics" revealed eight articles in the journal Physical Therapy. However, only two of those are studies in genetics,50,51 whereas another is a genetics review of a specific disease.52 Using keywords "genetics AND physical therapy practice," or "genetics AND physical therapy education," revealed no articles in Physical Therapy. A special issue of the journal Pediatrie Physical Therapy in 2001 was, however, devoted to the topic of genetics, and an article outlining aspects of the HGP and its physical therapy implications was published in a non-peer-reviewed physical therapy journal.53 This situation may well reflect a lack of interest by physical therapists in the subject of genetics, as they presumably view such specialized knowledge as having little or no utility in clinical practice. Alternatively, the absence of genetics-related topics in the physical therapy professional literature might be due to the small number of relevant educational opportunities available to physical therapists in the area of genetics. Continuing education opportunities for physical therapists on the topic of genetics are generally limited to sessions or continuing education workshops at or preceding national meetings. These are few in number and clearly cannot meet all of the genetics educational needs of the majority of physical therapists in contemporary clinical practice.

THE CONTEMPORARY PHYSICAL THERAPIST MUST BE EDUCATED IN GENETICS

Although not explicitly stating that the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) supports increased levels of genetics education for clinicians, by inference, the language of the 2001 APTA House of Delegates document entitled "Genetics Literacy for Physical Therapists" (HOD 06-01-28-27) indicates support for genetics education for physical therapists: