The Physiotherapy education at Pravara is 4,5 year as basic education and two years master. The students pay for their education and live at the college, in boys or girls hostel. They attend the clinic from 9-5 Monday to Friday and 9-1 on Saturdays. It is also very common with peer learning, i.e older students teaches the younger students. The education is also the clinic, so both students and teachers treat patients daily. In Sweden we have more active Physiotherapy, i.e the patients are active and involved in their treatment compared to at Pravara where they mainly use passive treatment.
The Physiotherapy program at Pravara
is quite young and they do not have a strong research base for the subject
Physiotherapy. The theoretical knowledge in Anatomy, Physiology and Medicine is
very high, but their knowledge in Physiotherapy methods is based upon text
books that are quite old and that they are never taught to be critical and
reflective about the text.
The first week I took part in a clinical rotation, i.e. spent a day at each Physiotherapy department (Neuro, Cardio, Pediatrics, Orthopedics and Community) and took part in the PhD students research discussions. My own teaching was mainly during week two and three. I had three class-room lectures (Health Promotion, Pedagogy and Dose-Response Physical Activity and Health), almost daily short sequence of group gymnastics, and lectures in smaller groups on how to develop and teach group gymnastics. A group of master students wore a pedometer and accelerometer which was shown and discussed at on of the lectures. I also had lectures for master students and teachers on objectively measure physical activity and handle the data. I also had a practical session outdoor on how to use walking pools. The students were very enthusiastic and wanted to learn more.I also took part in the Debate that was arrange by the other exchange teacher. This pedagogical tool is useful to increase understanding and justification over specific situations and the students were very active.