Difference in Knowledge Between Nova Southeastern University Osteopathic Medical and Physical Therapy Students Regarding Their Own and Each Other\u27s Professions

Purpose: To determine whether PT students and DO students accurately identified their respective professional assessments and interventions in order to make appropriate referrals following graduation. Subjects: 300 first and second year osteopathic medical students and 300 first and second year physical therapy students at Nova Southeastern University were surveyed. Final sample size consisted of 151 DO and 183 PT students. Methodology: A self-designed survey was used to determine PT and DO students\u27 knowledge of their own and each other\u27s assessments and interventions. Data was analyzed using frequency distributions and independent t-tests with an alpha level of .05. Results: DO students knew more about DO assessments and interventions than PT students knew about PT assessments and interventions. PT students knew more about DO assessments and interventions than DO students knew about PT assessments and interventions. Conclusion: The DO and PT students at Nova Southeastern University need to be educated on the skills and services they each provide in order to make appropriate referrals following graduation. Both programs should consider making curricular changes. Interdisciplinary activities such as team evaluations and the exchange of role information would foster the team approach and increase respect for other health care personnel