During the past month, the class of 2021 presented their capstone projects to faculty, fellow students, and community members as part of National PT Month.  The Capstone Seminar in Physical Therapy course provides an opportunity for third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students to develop a tailored learning experience involving professional peer mentoring, education or research, and evidence-based practice. The goal is to create a systematic review that can be disseminated.

Systematic Review questions are determined by faculty who serve as mentors over this year-long process. The capstone project fosters life-long learning and skills needed to create similar projects to answer clinical questions that add to the body of literature once they become clinicians. The uniqueness of this project is based on its team approach, collaboration among group members, and the ability to present to colleagues their findings.

This year due to the pandemic and our partnership with Microsoft Teams we were able to do the capstone presentations virtually. This allowed for more student, faculty, and staff participation, but also allowed us to invite community members to attend as well. We were also able to provide continuing education units (CEUs) for our FL licensed physical therapist for listening in and engaging in the process.

Below are the capstone presentations completed this year by our Class of 2021 students & their faculty mentors:

• Ethical Issues Faced by Physical Therapists in the United States from 2008 to Present
• Clinical Reasoning in Healthcare as it relates to DPT Education: A Scoping Review
• The Role of the Physical Therapist When Treating Transgender Individuals: A Systematic Review
• The Effects of a Combination of Visual and Auditory Cueing on Freezing of Gait in People with Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review
• A Systematic Review of Interventions and Modifications to Improve Motor Learning in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• The Impact of Early Mobilization on the Length of Stay and Functional Outcomes within the Intensive Care Unit Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
• The Effects of Core Strength and Stability on Mobility in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review
• What Is the Current Rehabilitation For Patients Who Have Undergone A Superior Capsule Repair For Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears?
• Evaluation of Military Functional Assessments in Predicting Optimal Return to Duty Standards in Active Duty Service Members with Mtbi: A Scoping Review
• Therapeutic Protocols that Address Proprioceptive Deficits in People with Varying Stages of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Scoping Review